C11 - Polymers

Question 1

What is a carbonyl?

Answer 1

Question 2

What is a hydroxyl?

Answer 2

Question 3

What is a carboxyl?

Answer 3

carbonyl + hydroxyl

Question 4

What is an amino group?

Answer 4

Question 5

What is polymerisation? Name 2 types:

Answer 5

-many small molecules (monomers) join together to form large molecules (polymers)

-addition
-condensation

Question 6

Draw the displayed formulae for the polymerisation of ethene:

Answer 6

Question 7

What should you make sure to do in a displayed formula for addition polymerisation of alkenes?

Answer 7

-don’t draw the double bond
-write n
-end bonds should stick outside the brackets

Question 8

How do you draw a repeating unit?

Answer 8

don’t draw the end brackets for repeating units, just the open end bonds

If it asks for the structure of a polymer though, then definitely draw the brackets and an n outside them

Question 9

What is addition polymerisation?

Answer 9

multiple identical monomers covalently bonding together to form a polymer, where the repeating unit has the same atoms as the monomer as no other molecule is produced in the reaction

Question 10

What is condensation polymerisation?

Answer 10

where many monomers polymerise to form a polymer, but also lose small molecules like water (hence the name condensation)

Question 11

What is necessary for some monomers to undergo a condensation polymerisation reaction?

Answer 11

-each monomer must have at least 2 functional groups (eg a diol has 2 hydroxyl groups)
-there must be at least 2 different functional groups overall (eg carboxyl and hydroxyl)

Question 12

What is an ester link?

Answer 12

the ester functional group that connects many dicarboxylic acids and diols together to form a polyester

Question 13

Give an example of a diol and a dicarboxylic acid:

Answer 13

ethanediol
ethanedioic acid

Question 14

Draw the general displayed formula for a condensation polymerisation between a dicarboxylic acid and a diol:

Answer 14

Coloured boxes represent the rest of the molecule

Question 15

Name 3 naturally occurring polymers and their monomers:

Answer 15

-polypeptides (amino acids)
-DNA (nucleotides)
-carbohydrates (sugars)

A polypeptide is just an unfolded, non-functional protein (like just before protein synthesis ends at the ribosome)

Question 16

What polymers can glucose form?

Answer 16

starch, cellulose, glycogen

Question 17

Give an example of an amino acid:

Answer 17

glycine (only has one H in side chain)

Question 18

What is an amino acid made out of?

Answer 18

2 functional groups (amino + carboxyl), and a side chain that determines what amino acid it is

Question 19

What is a peptide bond?

Answer 19

the bond formed between 2 amino acids

Question 20

Explain how amino acids react to form polypeptides:

Don’t write the general equation for this

Answer 20

condensation polymerisation
-H from amino group and OH from carboxyl group removed and form water
-exposed C from carbonyl group bonds to exposed N from previous amino group, forms a peptide bond

Also known as an amide bond/link

Question 21

Write the general equation for the condensation polymerisation of amino acids:

Answer 21

note that the H₂O’s coefficient is just n, not 2n

This is because the end monomer’s groups don’t lose their OH and H to form another H₂O

Question 22

What is DNA?

Answer 22

deoxyribonucleic acid is a 2-chained polymer of 4 different nucleotide monomers with a double helix shape