Topic 11 - Polymers

Question 1

What is a monomer?

Answer 1

A small molecule that, when polymerised, becomes part of a polymer.

Question 2

What do Ethene monomers become when polymerised? What changes?

Answer 2

They become polyethene, and their double bond would be separated.

Question 3

What is the type of polymerisation reaction that makes an alkene lose its double bond?

Answer 3

Addition polymerisation.

Question 4

What is a polymer?

Answer 4

A long chain of small monomer molecules.

Question 5

What is condensation polymerisation?

Answer 5

Where the monomer loses water as a byproduct of forming part of a polymer.

Question 6

How is an ester formed?

Answer 6

An alcohol (with an OH functional group) reacts with a carboxylic acid (COOH) and give water as a byproduct.

Question 7

How is a polyester formed?

Answer 7

You start with one alcohol on each end and one carboxylic acid on each end, forming a diol and a dicarboxylic acid. The monomers link together as they polymerise by “ester links” and a water molecule is given off as each link is made in the reaction.

Question 8

What is the most commonly known monosaccharide?

Answer 8

Glucose.

Question 9

What are the two equations for the polymerisation of glucose?

Answer 9

Glucose monomers –> Starch polymers + Water.

Glucose monomers –> Cellulose polymers + Water.

Question 10

What is the equation for the polymerisation of amino acids?

Answer 10

Amino acids –> Polypeptide polymers + Water.

Question 11

What are the four monomers in DNA?

Answer 11

Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine.

Question 12

What type of polymerisation reaction produces DNA?

Answer 12

Condensation polymerisation.

Question 13

What three molecules make up DNA monomers?

Answer 13

A Phosphate group, a sugar and a base - these molecules are in a long chain.

Question 14

What is the monomer for DNA?

Answer 14

Nucleotide.

Question 15

What is the polymer for DNA?

Answer 15

DNA strand.

Question 16

Why are there weak intermolecular forces between nucleotides?

Answer 16

So that they can be easily separated from the polymer for cell division and replication.

Question 17

What is the polymer of ethene monomers?

Answer 17

Poly(ethene)

Question 18

What is the polymer for propene monomers?

Answer 18

poly(propene)

Question 19

What is addition polymerisation?

Answer 19

Where two alkene molecules are joined together, removing the double bond between carbon atoms and forming a bond between monomers.

Question 20

What is the main difference between addition and condensation polymerisation?

Answer 20

Addition polymerisation only forms one product whereas condensation forms a product and water or HCl

Question 21

How do you form a diol?

Answer 21

Add OH molecules onto the ends of CH chains.

Question 22

What is the general formula for forming a polyester?

Answer 22

A diol + a dicarboxylic acid –> a polyester + water

Question 23

How do you make a dicarboxylic acid?

Answer 23

Add COOH groups to each end of a chain of CH molecules

Question 24

What is glucose classified as?

Answer 24

A monosaccharide

Question 25

What do monosaccharide sugars form in a chain

Answer 25

polysaccharides

Question 26

What is the equation for protein synthesis?

Answer 26

variety of amino acid monomers –> protein polymers + water

Question 27

What is the full name for DNA

Answer 27

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Question 28

What is the equation for the polymerisation of nucleotides?

Answer 28

millions of nucleotides –> DNA + water

Question 29

What is the structure of DNA like?

Answer 29

A double helix