A bottle is a narrow-necked, rigid or semirigid container for holding liquids or semiliquids. It usually has a stopper or cap to prevent spills, evaporation, or contact with foreign substances. Bottles can be made of glass, plastic or other materials, and may have a wide variety of shapes, sizes and closures. Bottles are often used to package beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and cleaning products. Bottles can be manufactured by injection molding, blow molding, and extrusion blow molding.
A plastic bottle is a container designed to hold liquids and semiliquids, typically with a tight-fitting cap or closure to prevent spillage or evaporation. The first bottles were made of glass, but since then plastic has become the dominant material for making bottles due to its low cost and excellent durability, chemical resistance, and wide availability of color options. In addition to being durable, the plastic also offers a much lighter weight than glass, which helps reduce shipping costs and storage costs for retailers.
Injection molded bottles are generally made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or other types of thermoplastics. Injection molding is a process in which plastic is injected into a mold and cooled, which creates the final shape of the bottle. This method is not ideal for producing narrow-necked containers like bottles, so blown plastic bottles are more common. The term boodle is normally used to refer to ill-gotten cash, such as counterfeit notes or proceeds of a robbery, although it can also refer to a roll of banknotes, especially pre-decimalization ones.
An alternative to glass and plastic bottles is metal. Early metal bottles were made by covering silica paste cores with molten metal, and the resulting product was then filed down and sanded to produce a smooth finish. This process is still employed for some high-end, decorative bottles. However, modern technology has made it possible to produce large numbers of bottles using extrusion blow molding.
Plastic bottles have a long history as containers for liquids and semiliquids, but they have come under increasing scrutiny over environmental concerns. The plastics that make up these bottles are derived from fossil fuels, and the production of PET bottles involves the reacting of petroleum hydrocarbons with ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid to form long molecular chains. This material is non-biodegradable, and it can accumulate in the bodies of animals if it is eaten.
Using a bottle episode allows a writer to apply pressure to characters in a restricted location, and calcify running themes of the series. A well written bottle episode can elevate a television series, giving viewers an insight into the personalities of its stars and creating tension and drama. The best way to create a good bottle episode is to place characters in an unusual situation that forces them to face external pressures, which will reveal key elements of the plot and character. For example, a pair of characters trapped in a small space will have to work together and show their true feelings for each other in order to survive.
