Plastics

Question 1

What are plastics made from?

Answer 1

Plastics are examples of materials made from polymers.

Question 2

What is a polymer?

Answer 2

A polymer is a very large molecule made from thousands of small molecules known as monomers joined together.

Question 3

Describe addition polymerisation.

Answer 3

Addition polymerisation is the joining together of thousands of small unsaturated monomers to form a polymer.

In addition polymers the monomers are unsaturated molecules which means they have a carbon to carbon double bond, C = C.

Question 4

Give three examples of monomers and polymers.

Answer 4

Ethene is the monomer used to make poly(ethene)

Propene is the monomer used to make poly(propene)

Vinyl chloride is the monomer used to make poly(vinyl chloride).

Question 5

Describe how to name a polymer or a monomer.

Answer 5

To name a polymer just add “poly” to the name of the monomer and to name the monomer remove “poly” from the name of the polymer.

Question 6

How do monomers join together during polymerisation?

Answer 6

During polymerisation, the double bonds in the monomers open up to allow them to join together.

Question 7

What is a repeating unit?

Answer 7

A repeating unit is the shortest section of the polymer chain which if repeated would yield the complete polymer chain (except for the end-groups).

To draw the repeating unit from the polymer, take a section with 2 carbon atoms then add in the hydrogen atoms.