What is a polymer in chemistry GCSE?
Polymers are very large molecules made when many smaller molecules join together, end to end. The smaller molecules are called monomers. In general: lots of monomer molecules → a polymer molecule. The polymers formed are called addition polymers.
What is a polymer AQA?
Polymers are molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together. Monosaccharides, amino acids and nucleotides are examples of monomers. A condensation reaction joins two molecules together with the formation of a chemical bond and involves the elimination of a molecule of water.
What are the properties of polymers GCSE?
Properties of polymers
| Polymer | Properties | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Low density poly(ethene), LDPE | Flexible, unreactive, can be made into films | Most carrier bags, bubble wrap |
| High density poly(ethene), HDPE | Strong, flexible, resists shattering, resists chemical attack | Plastic bottles, pipes, buckets |
What is a polymer simple definition?
Definition of polymer : a chemical compound or mixture of compounds formed by polymerization and consisting essentially of repeating structural units.
What is a polymer easy definition?
What do polymers do in chemistry?
A polymer is any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, which are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers. Polymers make up many of the materials in living organisms and are the basis of many minerals and man-made materials.
What is polymer and example?
polymer A substance made from long chains of repeating groups of atoms. Manufactured polymers include nylon, polyvinyl chloride (better known as PVC) and many types of plastics. Natural polymers include rubber, silk and cellulose (found in plants and used to make paper, for example).
How do you explain polymers to a child?
Polymers are very big molecules made up of many smaller molecules layered together in a repeating pattern. In fact, the word polymer is Greek for ‘many parts. ‘ The smaller molecules that come together to form polymers are called monomers–small units that link together over and over to form a large polymer.
How is a polymer formed?
Monomers join together to make polymer chains by forming covalent bonds—that is, by sharing electrons. Other bonds then hold the groups of chains together to form a polymer material.
What does polymer mean in chemistry?
By definition, polymers are large molecules made by bonding (chemically linking) a series of building blocks. The word polymer comes from the Greek words for “many parts.” Each of those parts is scientists call a monomer (which in Greek means “one part”). Think of a polymer as a chain, with each of its links a monomer.
What is a polymer for dummies?
The term polymer is a composite of the Greek words poly and meros, meaning “many parts.” Polymers are large molecules made of small, repeating molecular building blocks called monomers. The process by which monomers link together to form a molecule of a relatively high molecular mass is known as polymerization.
What are polymers dummies?
How polymers are formed?
Polymers are formed by two main ways called addition and condensation polymerization. In addition, polymerization, an initiator (or catalyst) reacts with a starting monomer. The result of this initiation reaction is a monomer attached to the initiator with an unsatisfied bond.
What are polymers?
Polymers are long chain molecules that occur naturally in living things and can also be made by chemical processes in industry. Plastics are polymers, so polymers can be extremely useful. Alkenes can be used to make polymers.
What are addition polymers?
Polymers are very large molecules made when many smaller molecules join together, end to end. The smaller molecules are called monomers. The polymers formed are called addition polymers.
How many atoms are in the chain of a polymer?
There are variable numbers of atoms in the chains of a given polymer. One example of a polymer is poly (ethene). A short section of a poly (ethene) molecule. Poly (ethene) molecules contain thousands of carbon atoms joined together in a chain This diagram also represents poly (ethene).
How are atoms in a polymer molecule joined together?
The atoms in a polymer molecule are joined together by strong covalent bonds in long chains. There are variable numbers of atoms in the chains of a given polymer.