C11: Polymers Flashcards
What is a polymer?
A structure made by joining thousands of small, identical molecules (monomers)
What are the properties of polymers?
Solids at room temp - many intermolecular forces between polymer molecules, it takes a lot of energy to break them… thus they have a;
High melting point
What is a polymerisation reaction?
The process of making a polymer from a large number of monomers.
What is an addition reaction?
A type of reaction when 2 substances react to create 1 new substance
What is an addition polymer and what are the reactants?
A polymer made from alkenes joined together
A C=C double bond is required
How are polymers named?
Addition - poly(alkene)
Condensation - poly(diol dicarboxylic acid)
How are polymer repeating units modelled?
n(c=c) -> -(-c-c-)-n
monomer polymer repeating unit
ethene poly(ethene)
truly pathetic
What are the reactants of a condensation polymerisation?
-Diol and a dicarboxylic acid
What are the products of condensation polymerisation?
poly(ester) and a small molecule (water)
What properties must the reactants have for condensation polymerisation to take place?
2 different functional groups - -COOH and -OH
Name the most basic amino acid
Glycine
What is the structure of glycine?
H H
| |
N-C-C = O
| | |
H H OH
What are the functional groups of glycine?
-NH2 and -COOH
What are the products when glycine undergoes condensation polymerisation?
Water and a polypeptide
Glycine molecules can continually be added to form a polymer
What is a polypeptide?
A single chain of amino acid molecules bonded together
(lots of them make a protein)
How is a protein made?
Many different amino acids are joined together to form one chain (protein polymer)
What is DNA?
The long chains which encode the genetic instructions that living organisms need to develop and function
What does DNA consist of?
Two polymer chains made from monomers called nucleotides
What are the 4 nucleotide monomers?
G, A,T and C
What is the shape of the two polymer chains?
They wrap around each other to form a double helix
What is glucose a monomer of?
Cellulose
Starch
