chemistry-polymers

• What are polymers made up of?

  Monomers
• What is the common feature of all polymers?

  Each polymer molecule consists of many monomers
• What is the formula for the monomer propene?

  C₃H₆
• How can you identify a polymer molecule?

  By finding the repeating monomer unit
• How would you represent 400 propane monomers in a polymer reaction?

  Draw the repeating unit with 400 in the corner
• What does the letter 'n' represent in polymer notation?

  The number of repeating units
• What type of brackets are used for repeating units in polymers?

  Curved brackets
• What type of bonds are present within polymers?

  Covalent bonds
• What needs to be broken to melt or boil polymers?

  The intermolecular forces between polymer molecules
• Why do polymers have higher melting points than simple molecular substances?

  They have many weak intermolecular forces
• Why are polymers generally solid at room temperature?

  They have strong intermolecular forces
• What are the two main types of polymers?

  • Addition polymers
  • Condensation polymers
• What is an example of a polymer found in plastic?

  Polypropylene
• How long can a single polypropylene molecule be?

  Thousands of atoms long
• How do the melting and boiling points of polymers compare to giant covalent structures?

  Polymers have lower melting and boiling points
• How do the melting and boiling points of polymers compare to simple molecular substances?

  Polymers have higher melting and boiling points
• What is the reason for the high energy requirement to break intermolecular forces in polymers?

  Polymers have a high surface area
• What is the main reason for the strength of covalent bonds in polymers?

  They are really strong