Rubber was first introduced to the world by Adams in 1880. One day, in a street in South America, he was passing by a child who was chewing a fruit from a tree. Curious about what he was constantly chewing as there were not much snacks available at that time, Adams asked the child and found out it was a fruit from the sapodilla tree. That was how rubber came to be known to the rest of the world. After adding sugar and food coloring, this fruit became what we now know as chewing gum. For its unique properties including a supple and elastic texture, rubber is widely used for making industrial products, and tires are one of the most common examples found in our life. Rubber's adequate elasticity enables drivers to drive comfortably despite the constant friction between the tires and asphalt. Without rubber, people would not have been able to drive for 5 or 6 hours in a row or run a car at the same speed as they do now because of the harsh friction. However, rubber proves even more useful in places where we cannot see it.
Rubber components used in the car
Engine mounts, in particular, are one of the most crucial components of a car. The mount is generally made of soft rubber, which absorbs distracting vibrations from the engine to provide a comfortable ride for the driver. Bushings, on the other hand, are components like a bearings that support a revolving shaft. It is used for minimizing rotational vibration and sealing the shaft tightly to prevent oil leakage. Rubber plays a vital role for both purposes. This versatile substance can be also used for insulation. Rubber serves a similar purpose as the cartilage in joints between bones. However trivial it may seem, the importance of cartilage is most obviously felt among old people suffering from degenerative arthritis, as their cartilage has been worn out over their lifetime. Without supple cartilage, the bone directly presses the nerve, causing a terrible pain similar to what we used to experience at the dentist as a child. The pain could be so severe that many patients cannot function properly in their daily lives. The rubber components of a car are as important as cartilage in our body, helping the cars move as smoothly as they should.
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