The History of Paper

Origin of the Word "Paper"
The word "paper" is derived from the term "papyrus," a writing sheet used by ancient Egyptians. The materials required for making papyrus came from Cyperus Papyrus, a species of a flowering plant.

The First Papermaking Process
China was the first country to invent the process of papermaking. Earlier, people in China used denser material such as bones and bamboo to write and record information. In 105 A.D., a man named Cai Lun started using plant fibers, hemp, and rags for making paper. His invention gradually resulted in the production of books and also made it easier to safely transport written material.

Use of Wood to Make Paper
The idea of papermaking slowly spread to Europe and other countries. However, paper was still considered expensive due to a lack of raw materials. The use of wood pulp became a convenient method because of its abundance. Wood pulp became a major source of raw material for papermaking. The process of making wood pulp involved crushing logs of wood between large stones.

The Fourdrinier Papermaking Machine
In the early 1800s, a Frenchman named Louise-Nicholas Robert invented a machine to make paper. He asked two brothers named Henry and Sealy Fourdrinier to help him finance and design the machine, and as a result, the machine was named the Fourdrinier machine. This machine used a wire-mesh belt to produce sheets of paper. The machine also had rollers which were used to smoothen the surface of the paper. This Fourdrinier machine made the production of paper cheaper and faster, and it created a revolution in the field of papermaking.
1
Which section develops the idea that the method used by Cai Lun to make paper had its limitations?
A.
Use of Wood to Make Paper
B.
The Fourdrinier Papermaking Machine
C.
The First Papermaking Process
D.
Origin of the Word "Paper"