Rayon, a widely used synthetic fibre, is chemically related to which natural polymer?

Introduction / Context:
Rayon is one of the earliest synthetic or semi synthetic fibres developed as a substitute for silk. It is used in textiles, dress materials, and home furnishings. From a chemistry point of view, rayon is not a fully petroleum based polymer but is derived from a natural biopolymer. This question asks you to identify the natural polymer that is chemically related to rayon and from which it is produced.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Rayon is described as a man made fibre.
• Options include glucose, amylase, cellulose, pectin, and starch.
• We assume knowledge of basic biopolymers found in plants.
• The focus is on the chemical origin of rayon, not on its physical properties.

Concept / Approach:
Rayon is produced by chemically treating cellulose from natural sources such as wood pulp or cotton linters. Cellulose is a polysaccharide made up of long chains of glucose units. In rayon manufacture, cellulose is dissolved or converted into a soluble compound, then regenerated as fine filaments. Because the basic repeating unit and backbone come from cellulose, rayon is often called regenerated cellulose. Other substances such as amylase and pectin are different kinds of biomolecules and are not used as the main feedstock for rayon.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that rayon is sometimes described as artificial silk and is made from plant based raw material, not purely from petrochemicals. Step 2: The primary raw material in most rayon processes is wood pulp, which is rich in cellulose fibres. Step 3: Cellulose is a natural polymer composed of long chains of glucose units joined by specific glycosidic bonds. Step 4: In the viscose process, cellulose is treated with chemicals to form a soluble compound and then extruded through spinnerets, where it is regenerated as fibrous cellulose, giving rayon filaments. Step 5: Amylase is an enzyme that breaks down starch and is not itself a structural polymer, while pectin is a plant polysaccharide found in cell walls and fruits but is not the base of rayon fibre. Step 6: Therefore, rayon is chemically related to cellulose, and the correct answer is cellulose.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textile chemistry references often classify rayon as a regenerated cellulose fibre. They distinguish it from fully synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester, which are made from petrochemical monomers. Industrial descriptions of viscose rayon, cuprammonium rayon, and other rayon types all begin with cellulose purification and dissolution. This consistent description across sources confirms that cellulose is the natural polymer that forms the basis of rayon.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Glucose: A simple monosaccharide sugar and the building block of cellulose, but rayon is not made directly from free glucose molecules.
Amylase: An enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch; it is a protein, not a structural carbohydrate polymer.
Pectin: A plant polysaccharide used in jams and jellies, not the usual raw material for rayon production.
Starch: Another polysaccharide of glucose but arranged differently; industrial rayon production is based specifically on cellulose fibres from wood or cotton rather than on starch granules.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may confuse cellulose and starch because both are plant polysaccharides made of glucose units. The key difference is that cellulose forms structural fibres in plant cell walls, whereas starch is mainly a storage polysaccharide. Rayon relies on the fibrous nature of cellulose and the ability to regenerate it into continuous filaments. Remembering the phrase regenerated cellulose is a useful way to connect rayon directly with cellulose rather than with other carbohydrates or enzymes.

Final Answer:
Rayon is chemically regenerated cellulose and is derived from the natural polymer cellulose.