Polymers and Esters

Question 1

What’s a polymer?

Answer 1

A polymer is a large molecule made from lots of small molecules, called monomers, joined together.

Question 2

What’s Polymerisation?

Answer 2

The process in which monomers join together

Question 3

Can polymer molecules be given a specific relative molecular mass?-why?

Answer 3

No
- Polymer molecules can be different lengths
- But, we know that a polymer has a high AVERAGE relative molecular mass

Question 4

Explain Addition Polymerisation

Answer 4

One of an alkenes’ double bond breaks open so another alkene molecule adds on
This process occurs again and again, forming a long chain

Question 5

What’s the repeating unit?

Answer 5

Shows how many groups of atoms that are repeated in the polymer

Question 6

What do addition polymerisation reactions require?

Answer 6

Pressure and a catalyst

Question 7

Draw the polymerisation of Butene/what does it form?

Answer 7

See Ipad for answer!! Poly(Butene)

Question 8

How are polyesters made?

Answer 8

Condensation polymerisation:
- the monomers join together and eliminate a small molecule such as water

Question 9

What type of polymer are polyesters?

Answer 9

Synthetic polymers

Question 10

What’s the functional group of Esters?

Answer 10

-COO-

Question 11

How are esters formed?

Answer 11

A carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst

Question 12

Why is the formation of esters a condensation reaction?

Answer 12

Water is also produced

Question 13

What do Esters end in?

Answer 13

-ethyl
-noate

Question 14

What’s Poly(ethene)’s common name and use?

Answer 14

• Polythene
• Plastic bags/cling film

Question 15

What’s Poly(propene)’s common name and use?

Answer 15

• Polypropylene
• Ropes/carpets

Question 16

What’s Poly(chloroethene)’s common name and use?

Answer 16

• PVC
• Window frames/covering for electrical wires

Question 17

What’s Poly(tetrafluoroethene)’s common name and use?

Answer 17

• PTFE
• Non stick coating on frying pans

Question 18

What’s Poly(phenylethene)’s common name and use?

Answer 18

• Polystyrene
• Packaging/thermal insulation on ceilings

Question 19

What are the uses for Esters? - why?

Answer 19

Perfumes and food flavourings:
- Pleasant smell
- Volatile (evaporate easily)

Question 20

Other than the Ester, what product is formed when an alcohol and carboxylic acid react?-why?

Answer 20

Water: Carboxylic acid loses its OH group, and the alcohol loses the hydrogen from its OH group to form a water molecule

Question 21

How can organic molecules form polymers without an alkene?

Answer 21

Condensation polymerisation

Question 22

Explain what happens during condensation polymerisation.

Answer 22

• Involves a carboxylic acid and alcohol
• The OH part of the carboxylic acid functional group joins with the hydrogen atom from the alcohol functional group to form a water molecule
• The rest of the carboxylic acid and alcohol molecules join up to form a polymer molecule (-thyl -anoate)

Question 23

How are polyesters formed?

Answer 23

When carboxylic acids and alcohols have a functional
group at each end of their molecules, they join up to form a polyester and some water molecules.
The monomers are joined together by ester links

Question 24

How can polyesters with different properties be produced?

Answer 24

-By varying the numbers of carbon atoms in the monomers,
and what is attached to them