C11. Polymers

Question 2

What is a polymer?

Answer 2

A long chain molecule which is made by lots of smaller molecules joining together

Question 3

How do molecules containing C=C bond form polymers?

Answer 3

C=C bonds open up and many smaller molecules join together to form a chain aka a polymer. No other products are made

Question 4

Give 3 examples of addition polymers and their uses

Answer 4

Polythene - plastic bags
(Poly)tetrafluoroethene (PTFE) - Teflon surfaces, for use in non-stick kitchenware
(Poly) chloroethene (polyvinylchloride, PVC) - water pipes

Question 5

What is a repeating unit of polymer?

Answer 5

It is a smallest structure with, upon numerous translations, yields the structure of the polymer.

In addition polymers: To draw it, take a monomer, change C=C to C-C and show additional single bonds extending away from these carbons

Question 6

What is a condensation polymer?

Answer 6

A polymer made in condensation Polymerisation. Many molecules join together; the polymer is formed, but also a small molecule is released

Question 7

What is an amide bond?

Answer 7

An amide bond is similar to the ester bond, with O replaced by N

Question 8

What is an amino acid?

Answer 8

It is organic compound that contains both a carboxylic acid functionality (COOH) and an amine functional group (-NH₂)

Question 9

How do amino acids make proteins? What are polypeptides?

Answer 9

By numerous condensation polymerisation reactions; proteins are polymers made of amino acids
Polypeptides are also made by condensation Polymerisation of amino acids, but are shorter than proteins. One could think about proteins as a product of many polypeptide chains bonded together

Question 10

What are carbohydrates?

Answer 10

They are organic molecules made of C,H, and O. They are biologically relevant. Both of these polymers made of glucose monomers. Their structures differ in the way the glucose molecules are joined together

Question 11

What is DNA? Describe its tole and structure

Answer 11

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a material that makes up chromosomes - cell structures that store genetic information

DNA is made of two polymer chains that are held together in a double helix

Each polymer chain can be made from 4 different monomers - nucleotides