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11.1 Exercise

The document contains a series of questions and answers related to polymer chemistry, covering topics such as polymerization processes, types of polymers, and specific examples of polymers and their applications. It distinguishes between homopolymers and copolymers, explains the mechanisms of polymerization, and outlines the differences between addition and condensation polymerization. Additionally, it provides definitions for key terms and concepts in polymer science.

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Courage Wutete
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13 views7 pages

11.1 Exercise

The document contains a series of questions and answers related to polymer chemistry, covering topics such as polymerization processes, types of polymers, and specific examples of polymers and their applications. It distinguishes between homopolymers and copolymers, explains the mechanisms of polymerization, and outlines the differences between addition and condensation polymerization. Additionally, it provides definitions for key terms and concepts in polymer science.

Uploaded by

Courage Wutete
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Section A

1. What is polymerization?
A. A chemical process in which a molecule of water is added to a substance.
B. Synthesis of large molecules from low molecular molecules.
C. The existence of molecules that have the same numbers of the same kinds of atoms.
D. The process by which organic substances are broken down into simpler matter.
2. Which of the following is not a polymer?
A. Nylon
B. Ethanol
C. Teflon
D. Kevlar
3. What is the repeating unit of polyethene?
A. [CH 2=CH 2 ]n
B. ¿
C. ¿
D. [ CH 3−CH 3 ] n
4. What is the main use polyethylene?
A. Manufacture of plastic bags.
B. Manufacture of garden fertilisers.
C. Used in the manufacture of glass bottles.
D. Used as a catalyst in many industrial processes.
5. What do you understand from the word non-biodegradable?
A. The plastics easily react with soil and decompose.
B. The plastics can only be used once in the shortest time possible.
C. They plastics will not decompose in soil.
D. The plastics are cheap and are of no economic value to the nation.
6. Below is a list of polymer and its application:

Name of polymer Product produced


A. Polystyrene Beverage crates
B. Poly(chloro-ethene) Electrical cable for insulation
C. Polypropylene Water proof clothing
D. Polystyrene Drain pipes
Which row is correctly matched?

7. Which of the following polymers contains an ester linkage?


A. Nylon 6, 6
B. Terylene
C. PVC
D. Teflon
8. In condensation of polymerization, involves monomers which contain functional groups of

A. same kind
B. different kind
C. all groups
D. compounds

9. Large molecules made up of small monomers are called ___________.

A. peptides
B. polymers
C. peptones
D. monomers

10. All nylons are made by reactions amine group and ___________.

A. carboxylic acids
B. acyl-chloride group
C. both A and B
D. alkyls

11. In additional polymerization, unsaturated monomers contain

A. single bond
B. double bond
C. both A and B
D. triple bond

12. Reaction in which monomers containing carbon-to-carbon double bond react together to
form long chain of polymers is called__________.

A. addition polymerization
B. substitution polymerization
C. condensation polymerization
D. all of them

13. Polymers whose monomers are bonded to each other via amide link are called__________.
A. amides
B. peptides
C. polyamides
D. polyesters
14. Manufacture of polyesters involves reaction of__________.

A. dicarboxylicand diols
B. diols and diamines
C. diacyl chlorides and dicarboxylic acids
D. diacyl chlorides and diamines
15. Using more than one type of unsaturated monomer will produce a__________.

A. co-polymer

B. polyamides

C. polyesters
D. polytone

16. Nylon is not a __________


A. condensation polymer
B. co-polymer
C. polyamide
D. homopolymers

Section B

1. A __________ is a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecule to form a


polymer.
Answer: monomer
2. A__________ is a large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many repeated subunits.
Answer: polymer
3. When a single monomer is polymerised into a macromolecule, the product is called a
__________.
Answer: homopolymer
4. A polymer derived from more than one species of monomer is known as a__________.
Answer: copolymer
5. In polymer chemistry, __________ is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in
a chemical reaction to form polymer chains or three-dimensional networks
Answer: polymerisation
6. A polymer formed by the direct reaction of two or more monomers, and with no resulting
water or other by-product is known as an__________ polymer.
Answer: addition
7. __________ polymerisation is a process whereby many small monomer molecules join
together to form one large polymer, with water, or some other small molecule formed at
the same time
Answer: Condensation
8. The functional group –NH2 represents which group of organic compounds?
Answer: Amines
9. The functional group CONH represents which family of organic compounds?
Answer: amides
10. Terylene is an example of a __________ polymer.
Answer: condensation
11. Polyvinyl chloride is an example of __________ polymer.
Answer: addition
12. During a condensation reaction between a carboxylic acid and amine gives off__________
as a by-product.
Answer: water
13. An addition polymer is held by__________ bonds.
Answer: covalent
14. The type of polymerisation can be predicted from either the monomer or__________ given.
Answer: polymer
15. The repeat unit must have at least__________ carbon atoms in the main chain.
Answer: two
Section C

1. Define the following terms__________.


a. Monomer. [2]
b. Polymer. [2]
c. Polymerisation. [2]

Answer

a. A monomer is any molecule that is capable of reacting with a similar or different


molecule repeatedly to produces a repeated sequence (polymer).
Monomers are simple, reactive molecules that combine with each other in large
numbers through covalent bonds to give rise to polymers e.g. ethene, propene, styrene,
vinyl chloride.
b. Polymers are large molecules made by linking together smaller molecules called
monomers e.g. polyethene, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, Kevlar, etc.
In a polymer, various monomer units are joined by strong covalent bonds. Polymers can
be natural as well as synthetic e.g. polythene, rubber, and nylon 6, 6.
c. Polymerization is the process of forming high molecular mass macromolecules, which
consist of repeating structural units derived from monomers.

2. What is the difference between homopolymers and copolymers? [4]


Answer

Homopolymers Copolymers
A homopolymer is a polymer made by joining A copolymer is made by joining two or more
similar monomer units into long chains e.g. different monomers together into one long
polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, etc. chain e.g. nylon 6, 6, Kevlar, etc.

3. Write the free radical mechanism for the polymerisation of ethene. [6]

Answer:
 Chain initiation - The chain is initiated by free radicals, Ra , produced by reaction
between some of the ethene and the oxygen initiator like benzoyl peroxide
 Chain propagation - Each time a free radical hits an ethene molecule a new bigger free
radical is formed.
 Chain termination - At the end two free radicals hit each other producing the final
molecule. The process stops here because no new free radicals are formed.

4. What is the difference between addition and condensation polymerisation?


 Addition polymerisation is the reaction between monomers with multiple bonds, where
they join together to form saturated polymers. In condensation reactions, functional
groups of two monomers react together releasing a small molecule to form a polymer.
 Saturated monomers are participating in condensation reaction whereas for the
addition polymerisation the monomer should be an unsaturated molecule.
 Addition polymers are non-biodegradable and hard to recycle compared to
condensation polymers.
 Addition polymerisation is a rapid process and it produces high molecular weight
polymers in contrast to condensation polymerisation.

5. Nylon 6,6 is formed by a condensation polymerization, the structure below shows part of
the repeating units of nylon 6, 6

a. Circle an amide linkage in the structure above.

Answer: Circle the -CONH group

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