Polymers

Question 1

What is addition polymerisation?

Answer 1

Formation of long chain molecules from lots of small molecules joining together with no other products.

Question 2

What is a polymer?

Answer 2

Long chain molecules made from lots of small molecules joined together.

Question 3

Why are polymers not biodegradable?

Answer 3

They have no polar bonds in the chain.

Question 4

What does a polymer structure look like?

Answer 4

H H
I I
——C —–C——-
I I
H H
(ALL IN BRACKETS)

Question 5

What does a monomer structure look like?

Answer 5

H H
I I
C —–C
I I
H H
(DOUBLE BOND)

Question 6

What does a repeating unit look like?

Answer 6

Polymer structure without brackets.

Question 7

What is the process of addition polymersiation?

Answer 7

Monomer structure (double bond) to polymer structure.

Question 8

What are the properties of PVC (poly (chloroethene))?
And how are they modified?

Answer 8

-Is a synthetic polymer.
-Relatively cheap and easy to mould, hard and brittle.
-Modified using a plasticiser.

Question 9

What does a plasticiser effect PVC?

Answer 9

-creates space between polymer chains which weaken the intermolecular forces.
-Makes the compound more flexible.
-Are also water-soluble.

Question 10

Why is poly(chloroethene) unreactive?

Answer 10

Have many strong non-polar C–C bonds in a chain so are non-biodegradable.