Topic 6 - Addition Polymers Flashcards
1
Q
what are polymers?
A
substances of high average relative molecular mass made by joining up lots of monomers
2
Q
what is addition polymerisation?
A
unsaturated monomer molecules opening up their carbon-carbon double bonds
3
Q
how do you get the name of a polymer?
A
from the type of monomer - e.g propene becomes poly(propene)
4
Q
how do you get the formula of a polymer?
A
from the formula of the monomer - e.g. C₃H₆ become (C₃H₆)ₙ
5
Q
how reactive are addition polymers?
A
they’re inert, because the carbon-carbon bonds are very strong
6
Q
why is it difficult to dispose of polymers?
A
they take a long time to biodegrade
burning them produces toxic gases
