A raw material can be converted into a product through an industrial process.
A raw material is an element that can be transformed into a different product through an industrial process . To understand the notion, it is important to analyze the terms that make it up.
Matter is what makes up the physical universe. It is a reality that can be perceived through the senses and that differs from other material realities based on certain characteristics.
Primo (or cousin ), meanwhile, has several uses. In this case we are interested in its meaning as the adjective that refers to the first : that is, that precedes others in an order.
Raw material characteristics
A raw material is a material that is used to produce a good . When it is extracted directly from nature , it is classified as raw raw material .
The meat of an animal, the wood of a tree, fossils and minerals are examples of this type of raw material. From these resources, multiple products or goods can be manufactured: a pork burger, a pine piece of furniture, a piece of jewelry made of gold, etc.
The State , for example, uses raw materials constantly. The paving of a road, to mention just one of the tasks carried out by the state administration, is carried out with asphalt or bitumen (a combination of the lead-colored and viscous material called tar with gravel or sand).
The primary sector is that which is dedicated to the extraction of crude raw materials. Livestock farming , fishing and agriculture are part of this primary sector of the economy .
The secondary sector , for its part, is dedicated to using and transforming these raw materials. The tertiary sector , finally, distributes and consumes the products of the secondary sector, offering services.
Mining makes it possible to obtain a wide variety of raw materials, such as copper, silver, diamond and gold.
Some examples
It is important to keep in mind that all production processes require raw materials . Therefore, before starting the production of a good, it is necessary to have the corresponding raw materials.
Suppose a company in the food industry wants to produce a drink based on orange juice. The essential raw material of the product will be, precisely, the orange from which the juice is obtained. In addition, other ingredients, such as sugar and preservatives, will be incorporated in the production process.
Let us now take the case of a firm that manufactures clothing. Among the raw materials used are cotton and wool . Typically, the companies that produce the final product are not directly responsible for obtaining the raw materials, but rather acquire them.
Paper is a raw material used in many industries.
The raw materials of a restaurant
Most companies and commercial establishments require multiple raw materials for their daily operation. If we take the case of a restaurant , this type of venture needs numerous raw materials to be able to offer its proposal to customers.
Oils, rice, spices, eggs, milk, legumes, corn, fish, salt, seeds, soy, noodles, wheat flour and vegetables, among many ingredients, are essential to prepare the recipes. Also elements such as honey, cocoa, coffee, fruits, beer, wine and mineral water are required to satisfy diners' orders.
Restaurants, in short, usually work with different suppliers to obtain everything they need. This allows them to have a more or less extensive menu.
The construction industry and the textile sector
In the construction industry , the most common raw materials include cement, sand, iron, steel and aluminum. If we count the finishing details and decoration, we can add bronze, marble, glass, different kinds of plastics and paints.
In these cases, it is common for more than one company to be involved in each project: one firm can build the structure, another take care of the openings, etc. That is why the diversity of raw materials is very wide.
If we think about the textile sector , a company can demand raw materials such as fabrics, skins, leather, rubber, pigments and synthetic fibers. It all depends on what types of garment you intend to make.
Raw material in philosophy
It should be noted that the idea of raw material also appears in the field of philosophy . For Aristotle , the essence of bodies is composed of a passive and potential principle called prime matter, united with the so-called substantial form .
It can be said that raw material is a passive power that does not exist in solitude. It must be combined with the substantial form to realize its capacity to be, being the starting point for the generation of things.
When the raw material is reunited with the substantial form, the matter begins to constitute itself as substance . In other words, the entity then acquires a certain way of being.