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Year 11 - Science

Addition polymerisation

Organic chemistry

Unit Summary

This unit covers identifying functional groups, naming and drawing structural formulae, and predicting reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids. It explains addition and condensation polymerisation and discusses natural polymers like DNA, sugars, and amino acids.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe the formation of an addition polymer from its monomer.

Key Notes

  • A polymer is a substance of high average relative molecular mass made up of small repeating units.
  • In addition polymerisation only one molecule is formed, e.g. addition polymerisation of ethene forms poly(ethene).
  • Polymers have a specific displayed formula to show repeat units.
  • A polymer's monomer can be deduced from its structure and vice versa.
  • Addition polymers can be made by combining together a variety of monomer molecules containing C=C.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • polymers: Polymers are long-chained molecules formed by joining together monomers.
  • monomers: Monomers are small molecules that can join together to form a polymer.
  • relative molecular mass: The relative molecular mass of a substance is the sum of the relative atomic masses of all the atoms in a molecule.
  • addition polymerisation: Addition polymerisation is a type of polymerisation where monomers join together to form only one product; a polymer.
  • repeating unit: The section of a polymer that repeats is known as the repeating unit.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Not including the bonds at the end of a repeating unit.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

A polymer is a substance of high average relative molecular mass made up of small repeating units. In addition polymerisation only one molecule is formed, e.g. addition polymerisation of ethene forms poly(ethene).

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'polymers'

Polymers are long-chained molecules formed by joining together monomers. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

Mistake: Not including the bonds at the end of a repeating unit. Correction: The slide deck states the need for open bonds to show how repeating units are bonded to each other.

More Lessons In This Unit

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