Julie’s town uses single-stream recycling, so Julie puts all of her household recyclables in a single container to be picked up. The recycling plant must sort out the different materials, including paper, cardboard, different types of plastic, glass bottles and jars, aluminum drink cans, and steel food cans. How would an electromagnet be used in this type of recycling plant?
Answer
A
to separate paper from cardboard
B
to remove plastic bottles from glass bottles
C
to gather colored glass from colorless glass
D
to divide food cans from soft-drink cans
Explanation
An electromagnet attracts iron and steel but not aluminum, glass, paper, or plastic. Steel food cans are magnetic, while soft-drink cans are typically aluminum, so the electromagnet can separate the food cans from the soft-drink cans. The correct choice is C, “to divide food cans from soft-drink cans.”
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