Introduction

Question 1

1. What is a mole?
2. What is meant by a molar solution?

Answer 1

1. The mole is a unit used for measuring the amount of a substance.
2. A molar solution is a solution that contains one mole of solute in each litre of solution.

Question 2

What is polymerisation?

Answer 2

1. Polymerisation is the joining together of many monomers via condensation reactions to create a long chain molecule, producing a molecule of water.

Question 3

What is meant by:
1. Condensation?
2. Hydrolysis?

Answer 3

1. A condensation reaction is a chemical reaction in which two molecules are combined to form a more complex one, usually eliminating a molecule of water.
2. Hydrolysis refers to the breaking down of large molecules into smaller ones by the addition of water molecules.

Question 4

Briefly describe the following:
1. Covalent bonding.
2. Ionic bonding.
3. Hydrogen bonding.

Answer 4

1. When atoms share a pair of electrons in their outer she;lls.
2. When ions with opposite charges attract one another, creating an ionic bond.
3. When electrons are unevenly distributed, causing the molecule to be deemed ‘polar’. Therefore attraction is created between the negative and positive sections between molecules, forming a weak electrostatic attraction.

Question 5

Describe metabolism.

Answer 5

All the chemical processes that take place in living organisms collectively called metabolism.