MDCAT Chemistry · Chemistry · Macromolecules. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.
A polymer is a very large molecule built from many small molecules called monomers. There are two ways of joining them.
In addition polymerisation, monomers with a C=C bond add to each other. The π bond opens and nothing is lost, so the polymer has the same empirical formula as the monomer.
In condensation polymerisation, each monomer has two functional groups. They join through ester or amide links, and a small molecule such as water or HCl is lost each time a link forms.
A homopolymer is made from one kind of monomer. A copolymer is made from two or more kinds of monomer in the same chain.
Students call any polymer made from two starting chemicals an addition copolymer. Check whether a small molecule is lost: nylon-6,6 and Terylene lose water, so they are condensation polymers.
Answer: 2000 ethene units
Type what you are stuck on. The helper finds the explanation, worked examples and the notes to read, free and instant.
← Carboxylic acids and derivativesBiological macromolecules →Take a MDCAT Chemistry test