C11 - Polymers

Question 1

What is a polymer

Answer 1

a substance made from very large molecules made up of many repeating units

Question 2

What are monomers

Answer 2

small reactive molecules that react together in repeating sequences to form a large polymer

Question 3

what is polymerisation

Answer 3

polymerisation is when many small monomers join together to form a large polymer

Question 4

What happens when alkene molecules join together

Answer 4

The double covalent bond between the two carbon atoms ‘opens up’. It is replaced by a single c-c covalent bond and the monomer then had an empty covalent bond which allows the monomer to bond with multiple monomers. This type of reaction is called addition polymerisation and the polymer is called an addition polymer

Question 5

What conditions does the addition polymerisation of alkenes need

Answer 5

A very high temperature (200C) and pressure to break the alkene bonds and a catalyst

Question 6

What is special about the products of addition polymerisation

Answer 6

The only product is a polymer so an addition polymer contains exactly the same type and number of atoms as the monomers that formed it.

Question 7

What do ethene, propene and chloroethene polymerise to form

Answer 7

• Ethene polymerises to form poly(ethene) or polythene
• Propene polymerises to form poly(propene) or polypropylene
• Chloroethene polymerises to form poly(chloroethene) or PVC

Question 8

Why are alkenes good monomers

Answer 8

because they are unsaturated

Question 9

Poly(ethene) uses and properties

Answer 9

• Useful plastic as it is strong and easy to shape
• Transparent except when colouring material is added to it
• Makes ‘plastic’ carrier bags, some drinks bottles, dustbins, washing up bowls and cling film

Question 10

Poly(propene) uses and properties

Answer 10

• Very strong tough plastic

- Used to make carpets, milk crates and ropes

Question 11

Poly(chloroethene) uses

Answer 11

Used in water pipes and a insulation on electricity cables

Question 12

What are condensation polymers made from

Answer 12

Condensation polymers are made from monomers which contain different functional groups and are not alkenes.

Question 13

What is special about the products of condensation polymerisation

Answer 13

For each new bond that forms, a small molecule (such as water or hydrogen chloride) is released so therefore there are two different products

Question 14

What do the simplest types of condensation polymer contain

Answer 14

they contain two different types of monomer each with two of the same functional groups

Question 15

How is an ester formed

Answer 15

An alcohol (-OH functional group) and a carboxylic acid (-COOH) react together to give an water plus water.

Question 16

what is a diol

Answer 16

an alcohol containing two -OH groups

Question 17

what is a dicarboxylic acid

Answer 17

a carboxylic acid containing two -COOH groups

Question 18

How are polyesters formed

Answer 18

Polyesters are formed from the condensation polymerisation of a diol and a dicarboxylic acid, with water given off in the reaction

Question 19

Addition Polymerisation:

• Number of monomer types
• Number of products
• Functional groups involved in polymerisation

Answer 19

• Only one monomer type containing a C=C bond
• Only one product formed
• Carbon-Carbon double bond in monomer

Question 20

Condensation Polymerisation

• Number of monomer types
• Number of products
• Functional groups involved in polymerisation

Answer 20

• Two monomer types contains two of the same function group OR one monomer type with two different functional groups
• Two types of product, the polymer and a small molecule
• Two reactive groups on each monomer

Question 21

Making Nylon

Answer 21

1.Put a thin layer of monomer A into the bottom of a small beaker
2.Pour a layer of monomer B on top of this
3. Gently draw a thread out of the beaker using a pair of tweezers and wind it around a test tube
SAFETY: Wear gloves and eye protection, do not touch nylon formed and carry out in fume cupboard or well ventilated lab

Question 22

What are carbohydrates and what is their general formula

Answer 22

Carbohydrates are compounds made up of molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
They have the general formula Cx(H2O)y and are made up of one or more types of sugar molecules

Question 23

What are glucose and fructose and what is their structure

Answer 23

They are both monosaccharides (made up of one sugar unit)

Glucose has a six membered ring structure and Fructose has a five membered ring structure

Question 24

What do monosaccharides bond together to make

Answer 24

they bond together to make larger polymer molecules called Polysaccharides

Question 25

How is sucrose made

Answer 25

Sucrose is made form glucose and a fructose molecule bonded via condensation polymerisation where water is lost

Question 26

What is starch

Answer 26

Starch is used by plants as a way of storing energy as a complex carbohydrate and is also the main carbohydrate in the human diet.
It is made from (up to 1500) glucose monomers joined in condensation polymerisation, where water is lost, in branched chains

Question 27

What is Cellulose

Answer 27

Cellulose is made from (around 10000) glucose monomers in straighter chains than starch and is formed from the condensation polymerisation of glucose monomers where water is lost.
Cellulose is used to make the strong cell wall which gives plant cells strength

Question 28

What two functional groups do amino acids contain

Answer 28

Amino acids contain two different functional groups:
• One basic Amino group (NH2) - Amine group
• One acidic carboxyl group (-COOH)

Question 29

What do amino acids form

Answer 29

Amino acids are monomers that form polymers known as polypeptides via condensation polymerisation. The amino group of an amino acid can react with the acid group of another to form a polymer chain. for every new bond that is made, a molecule is lost

Question 30

What are chains of polypeptides known as

Answer 30

One or more long chains of polypeptides are known as proteins which have lots of important uses in the human body. The order of amino acids is what gives proteins their different properties and shapes

Question 31

What is DNA

Answer 31

Deoxyribonucleic acid is found in every living thing and many viruses. It contains genetic instructions that allow the organism to develop and operate.

Question 32

How does DNA make proteins

Answer 32

DNA’s structure contains a genetic code that determines the different amino acid sequences of every protein in your body. This genetic code can be copied to make protein molecules with exactly the same sequence of amino acids

Question 33

How is DNA made

Answer 33

DNA is made by the condensation polymerisation of repeating units of monomers called ‘Nucleotides’ where water is lost. FNA is known as a polynucleotide

Question 34

What are bases

Answer 34

The nucleotides each contain a small molecule known as their ‘base’. There are four different bases known by their initials: A,C,G,T
The order of bases acts as a code for an organisms’ genes

Question 35

What is the structure of DNA

Answer 35

The DNA molecule consists of a double helix structure made up of two long polymer strands of nucleotides. The two strands run in opposite directions and the bases on different polymer chains pair up with each other and form cross links (intermolecular forces) which keep the two nucleotide strands together.