polymers

• Monomers


  Small molecules that join together to form a long chain
• Polymer


  A very long molecule made of repeating units
• Repeating unit


  The smallest part of a polymer that repeats itself throughout the chain
• Polymerisation


  A reaction that turns multiple monomers into polymers
• Types of polymerisation


  • Addition
  • Condensation
• Addition polymerisation


  • Monomers have C-C bonds, such as alkenes
• Condensation polymerisation


  • Monomers have two functional groups
• Condensation polymerisation


  Monomers react, water is normally produced
• n


  A very large number
• Natural polymer


  A polymer that is produced naturally by organisms
• Examples of natural polymers

  • Polypeptides
  • Starch
  • Cellulose
  • DNA
• Amino acids


  The building blocks for polypeptides and proteins, which have an amine and a carboxylic acid group
• Polypeptide


  A polymer made from many amino acids
• Protein


  A polymer made from amino acids
• Glucose


  The monomer that makes up starch and cellulose
• DNA


  A molecule containing genetic information
• Monomers that make up DNA

  • Nucleotides
• DNA


  • Arranged in a double helix