C11 - Polymers

Question 1

What type of compounds are used as the monomers to make addition polymers?

Answer 1

Alkenes

Question 2

What do the following parts of a displayed formula mean:

a) The whole bit in brackets
b) The ‘n’ on the left
c) The lines crossing the brackets

Answer 2

a) This is the repeating unit
b) How many times the unit(monomer) is repeated
c) The C=C bond is replaced with a C-C bond and two bonds that cross the brackets (join to other monomers).

Question 3

How many different products are there in a condensation polymeristation reaction?

Answer 3

• Two different types

- The polymer and a small molecule (e.g. water)

Question 4

What are polypeptides?

Answer 4

• Polymers formed from amino acids via condensation polymeristaion.

Question 5

What small molecule is lost when two amino acids react together to form a new bond?

Answer 5

For every new bond that is formed, a molecule of water is lost.

Question 6

Other than proteins, name two other naturally occurring polymers.

Answer 6

• DNA (two polymer chains of monomers called nucleotides)

- Simple sugars can form larger carbohydrate polymers (e.g. starch).