Number of possible uses:

A commodity has high price elasticity of demand (or elastic demand) if it can be put into so many  uses. With  such  a  commodity,  if  the  price  changes,  the  response  of quantity demanded to the price change becomes significant when changes in quantity demanded for each use are put together. For instance, a commodity such as sugar is used for direct comsumption, baking break and cake, making jam, etc. Thus the demand for sugar may be fairly elastic.