A bottle is a narrow-necked container in various shapes and sizes that stores or transports liquids. It may be capped, plugged or corked to prevent spills and contamination. Bottles may be made of glass, plastic, or metal, and can be transparent, clear, or colored. Bottles are most often used to hold liquid beverages and food. They can be returned to the point of sale, making them one of the most popular forms of packaging for consumers.
Bottles are also found in laboratories, hospitals and schools for storing and dispensing chemicals or medical supplies. Some types of bottles are designed to be opened and closed repeatedly, while others are not able to be resealed after each use. Bottles can be used to store a variety of liquids, including water, juices, alcohol, and oil. Bottles can be made of any kind of solid material, but the most common type is a glass bottle. Other bottles are made of polycarbonate or a mixture of polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
The term bottle episode has been used to describe episodes of TV shows that are unique, standalone, departures from the normal plotline of a season or series, and/or episodes where the characters are forced to reflect on their lives. Several TV series, from Breaking Bad to Community, have incorporated bottle episodes into their seasons, with mixed results.
A glass bottle can be made in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and it can contain almost any liquid. It is commonly used to store beverages, though it can also be filled with medicine or perfume. Plastic bottles, on the other hand, are generally used to store and transport food and non-food products such as cleaners and solvents.
One of the most important factors in selecting a bottle is its capacity. Capacity is typically expressed as milliliters (ml), drams or ounces, although other units are sometimes used. The bottle’s shoulder, the narrower part that joins the wider body and neck, is another selection criterion, as it affects how quickly the product will be dispensed when the bottle is inverted.
A bottle’s finish is the portion of its exterior that is usually polished or textured. The finish can also be embossed, which gives the bottle a distinctive look and feel. In the case of bottles made of glass, the raised lines on the body, shoulder, neck, and finish are called mold seams or “joint-marks” (Scholes 1952; Tooley 1953). Bottles of other materials often have similar markings, see the Bottle Body & Mold Seams page for more information.
In addition to their physical appearance, bottles are notable for the role they play in the environment. Bottles that are discarded by consumers or left behind in public places often end up in landfills, where they can take hundreds of years to break down. They may also be washed into oceans and swept up in large, rotating currents known as ocean gyres, such as the Pacific Garbage Patch. To help reduce this problem, it is advisable to choose reusable bottles that can be easily taken apart so that each part is made of a single material.
