Polymers

Learn it by playing

Answer these questions to earn energy, then fish and explore. No account needed.

For teachers: ready-to-use lesson slides, revision notes, diagrams for Polymers (Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award) [CIE], Chemistry) — use them in your lesson, or run the topic as a live class game.

Notes

Polymers: The Basics

**Polymers** are large molecules built from many smaller **monomers**.
Each monomer is joined to the next by **covalent bonds**.
Examples include **poly(ethene)**, **PVC**, and **nylon**.

Addition Polymerisation

Addition polymerisation occurs in monomers containing a **C=C double bond** (alkenes).
The $C=C$ bond breaks, allowing monomers to join into a long chain.
Only **one product** (the polymer) is formed.
Example: ethene monomers → poly(ethene).
The polymer contains only **single bonds**.

Naming Addition Polymers

Name = **poly-** + monomer name in brackets, e.g., propene → **poly(propene)**.
The **repeat unit** shows the polymer structure.
To draw a repeat unit: change the $C=C$ to a single bond, add continuation bonds at ends, and write a subscript **n**.

Deducing Monomer from Polymer

Identify the **repeating unit** in the polymer chain.
Change the single bond in the repeat unit to a **double bond**.
Remove the continuation bonds at each end to obtain the monomer.

Condensation Polymers (Extended Tier)

Formed when **two different monomers** link together with the removal of a small molecule, usually **water**.
Each monomer has **two functional groups** (one at each end).
The polymer and **one water molecule per linkage** are produced.

Nylon (Polyamide)

Made from a **dicarboxylic acid** (two -COOH groups) and a **diamine** (two -NH₂ groups).
An **amide linkage** forms with loss of water.
Structure can be shown using boxes for carbon chains.

PET (Polyester)

Made from a **dicarboxylic acid** and a **diol** (two -OH groups).
An **ester linkage** forms with loss of water.
PET is also known as **terylene** and used in synthetic fibres.

General structure of an amino acid (monomer example).

Practice questions

Free preview — 8 of 12 questions. Sign up to see them all.

1.Which of the following is a polymer?
Easy
- AEthene
- BPoly(ethene)
- CEthanol
- DEthanoic acid
2.What is the name of the small molecule that links together to form a polymer?
Easy
3.Fill in the blanks.
Easy
During addition polymerisation, $the ____$ bond in the monomer breaks and only ____ product is formed.
4.Condensation polymerisation produces only the polymer molecule as the product.
Medium
True or false?
5.Match each polymer type with its monomer functional groups.
Medium
- Nylon
- PET
- Poly(ethene)
- Dicarboxylic acid and diamine
- Dicarboxylic acid and diol
- Alkene
6.What small molecule is removed during condensation polymerisation?
Medium
7.Which of the following is a polyamide?
Medium
- APoly(ethene)
- BNylon
- CPET
- DPVC
8.How many water molecules are released when 10 monomers of a dicarboxylic acid and 10 monomers of a diamine polymerise to form nylon? (Assume all monomers react completely.)
Hard
- A12
- B11
- C9
- D10

Slides

Polymers: The Basics

Polymers are large molecules built up from many smaller molecules called monomers.
Each monomer is joined to the next by covalent bonds.
Examples include poly(ethene), PVC, and nylon.

What are the small molecules that join together to form polymers called?

Monomers
Isomers
Dimers
Polymers

Addition Polymerisation

Addition polymerisation occurs in monomers that contain $a C=C$ double bond.
The $C=C$ bond breaks and monomers join to form a long-chain polymer.
Only one product is formed – the polymer itself.

In addition polymerisation, $the ____$ bond in each monomer breaks and the monomers join to form $a long-chain ____$ . Only one product is formed.

Drawing Repeat Units

The repeat unit shows the structure of the polymer.
To draw it: change the $C=C$ bond in the monomer to a single bond, and add continuation bonds at each end.
A subscript n indicates many repeat units.

Which of the following is the correct repeat unit for poly(ethene)?

-CH2-CH2-
$-CH=CH-$
-CH2-CH2-CH2-
-CH2-CHCl-

Deducing Monomer from Polymer

Identify the repeating unit in the polymer.
Change the single bond in the repeat unit to a double bond.
Remove the bonds at each end to get the monomer.

Which of these are true about addition polymerisation?

It requires monomers with $a C=C$ bond.
Water is produced as a by-product.
Only the polymer is formed.
The polymer contains double bonds.

Condensation Polymerisation

Condensation polymers form when two different monomers link together with the removal of a small molecule, usually water.
Monomers have two functional groups, one at each end.
Examples: nylon (polyamide) and PET (polyester).

What small molecule is typically removed during condensation polymerisation?

Water
Carbon dioxide
Hydrogen
Oxygen

Forming Nylon

Nylon is a polyamide made from dicarboxylic acid and diamine monomers.
Each -COOH group reacts with an -NH2 group, forming an amide linkage.
One water molecule is lost per link.

Nylon is $a ____$ made from dicarboxylic acid $and ____$ monomers.

Forming Polyesters

PET is a polyester made from dicarboxylic acid and diol monomers.
Each -COOH group reacts with an -OH group, forming an ester linkage.
One water molecule is lost per link.

What type of linkage is formed in PET?

Ester
Amide
Peptide
Glycosidic

Comparing Addition and Condensation

Addition polymerisation: only the polymer is formed; monomers need $C=C$ bonds.
Condensation polymerisation: polymer and water are formed; monomers need two functional groups.
Addition polymers have only single bonds in the chain; condensation polymers have linkages like amide or ester.

Which statements are correct?

Addition polymerisation produces water.
Condensation polymerisation requires monomers with two functional groups.
Poly(ethene) is an addition polymer.
Nylon is an addition polymer.

Flashcards

What is a polymer?

A polymer is a large molecule built up from many smaller molecules called monomers, joined by covalent bonds.

What is a monomer?

A monomer is a small molecule that can join together with other monomers to form a polymer.

What type of bond joins monomers in a polymer?

Covalent bonds join monomers in a polymer.

Give three examples of polymers.

Poly(ethene), PVC, and nylon.

What is addition polymerisation?

Addition polymerisation is a process where monomers with $a C=C$ double bond join together to form a long-chain polymer, with only one product formed.

What happens to the $C=C$ bond during addition polymerisation?

The $C=C$ double bond breaks, and the monomers join together to form single bonds in the polymer.

How is poly(ethene) formed?

Poly(ethene) is formed by the addition polymerisation of ethene monomers.

What is a repeat unit?

A repeat unit is the smallest repeating structure in a polymer chain, shown in brackets with a continuation bond at each end and a subscript n.

How do you draw the repeat unit from an alkene monomer?

Change the double bond in the monomer to a single bond, add continuation bonds at each end, and arrange the groups in the same order as around the double bond.

How do you deduce the monomer from an addition polymer?

Identify the repeating unit, change the single bond in the repeat unit to a double bond, and remove the bonds from each end.

What is condensation polymerisation?

Condensation polymerisation is when two different monomers link together with the removal of a small molecule, usually water, forming the polymer and water per linkage.

How does condensation polymerisation differ from addition polymerisation?

Addition polymerisation forms only the polymer molecule, while condensation polymerisation forms the polymer and one water molecule per linkage.

What functional groups are needed for condensation polymerisation?

Monomers must have two functional groups, one at each end, such as -COOH and -NH2 or -OH.

What is nylon and how is it formed?

Nylon is a polyamide formed from a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine, with an amide linkage formed and water removed per link.

What is PET and how is it formed?

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a polyester formed from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol, with an ester linkage formed and water removed per link.

What is the repeat unit of nylon?

The repeat unit of nylon consists of alternating amide linkages and carbon chains, often represented with boxes for the chains.

What is the repeat unit of PET?

The repeat unit of PET consists of alternating ester linkages and carbon chains, often represented with boxes for the chains.

What is the prefix used in naming addition polymers?

The prefix 'poly-' is added to the monomer name in brackets, e.g., poly(propene).

What type of monomers can undergo addition polymerisation?

Only monomers that contain $a C=C$ double bond (alkenes) can undergo addition polymerisation.

What is the product of addition polymerisation besides the polymer?

Only the polymer is produced; no other product is formed.

What is the small molecule removed in condensation polymerisation?

Water is the small molecule removed in condensation polymerisation.

What is an amide linkage?

An amide linkage is the bond formed between a -COOH group and an -NH2 group, with loss of water.

What is an ester linkage?

An ester linkage is the bond formed between a -COOH group and an -OH group, with loss of water.

Unlock all 12 questions, slides, flashcards & more

Create a free account to see every question, the slides, flashcards and revision notes for this topic.

Past papers

Past-paper practice for this topic is coming soon.

🗂️ Coming soon