Unit 3 - Topic 3 - Plastics and Polymers

Question 1

Describe plastics

Answer 1

Most of the plastics we use have been made by scientists from chemicals that were obtained from crude oil.

Plastics are examples of polymers - very large molecules formed by
the joining of many small molecules called monomers. The uses of plastics are related to their chemical properties.

Question 2

Give 4 examples of polymers

Answer 2

Poly(ethene)
Poly(propene)
Poly(tetrafluoroethene)
Poly(chloroethene)

Question 3

Name the monomer used to make Poly(ethene)

Answer 3

Ethene

Question 4

Name the monomer used to make Poly(propene)

Answer 4

Propene

Question 5

Name the monomer used to make Poly(tetrafluoroethene)

Answer 5

Tetrafluoroethene

Question 6

Name the monomer used to make Poly(chloroethene)

Answer 6

Chloroethene

Question 7

Give examples of uses for Poly(ethene)

Answer 7

Packaging film, trash and grocery bags

Question 8

Give examples of uses for Poly(propene)

Answer 8

Plastic parts for cars and other

methods of travel

Question 9

Give examples of uses for Poly(tetrafluoroethene)

Answer 9

Non-stick coating for pans and

other cookware

Question 10

Give examples of uses for Poly(chloroethene)

Answer 10

Pipe insulation

Question 11

Describe making polymers

Answer 11

Polymers are long molecules that are made using monomers.

Monomers are unsaturated small molecules and polymers are saturated large molecules.

Question 12

Describe polymerisation

Answer 12

Plastics and synthetic fibres are made from giant molecules.

Joining together many thousands of smaller molecules called monomers makes these giant molecules.

The giant molecule is called a polymer as joining many small molecules together makes it. Poly means many

Question 13

What is the most common polymer

Answer 13

The most common monomer is ethene, C2H4, used to
make the plastic called polythene, known as
polythene.

Question 14

Why is this reaction called an addition reaction?

Answer 14

Because, monomers add together to give 1 larger molecule.

Question 15

Describe repeating unit

Answer 15

All addition polymers are based on a monomer containing a C=C. This means the polymer chain will repeat every 2-carbon atoms. This is called the REPEATING UNIT.

Question 16

What happens during a combustion reaction?

Answer 16

A substance reacts with oxygen

Question 17

What products are produced when a hydrocarbon or alcohol undergoes combustion?

Answer 17

CO2 + H2O

Question 18

What are the tests for these products?

Answer 18

CO2 = Limewater turns cloudy

H2O = Cobalt Chloride paper turns from blue to pink

Question 19

Describe burning plastics

Answer 19

Many plastics and synthetic fibres are flammable. Apart from the danger of fire, these materials can produce poisonous gases when they burn.

There are 3 poisonous gases produced when plastics burn:
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Hydrogen Chloride (HCl)
Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN)