17 Questions
What type of molecule is formed when lots of small molecules (monomers) join together?
Polymer
Which functional groups are involved in the formation of polyamides?
Carboxylic acid and amine groups
What type of polymer is formed when a dicarboxylic acid reacts with a diol?
Polyester
What happens when a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol?
An ester is formed
What characteristic defines the structure of a polymer?
Repeating unit structure
How do proteins differ from polymers formed by a single amino acid?
Proteins have a specific sequence of amino acids
What is the common name of the polymer formed by combining ethane-1,2-diol and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid?
Terylene
What are the monomers used to produce terylene?
Ethane-1,2-diol and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid
What is the repeating unit structure of the polymer terylene?
Aliphatic chain with alternating benzene rings
Which of the following is NOT involved in the formation of terylene?
Pentane-1,5-dioic acid
What is another name for the monomer ethane-1,2-diol?
Glycol
What distinguishes addition polymers from condensation polymers?
Addition polymers produce only long chain molecules, while condensation polymers produce long chain molecules and a small molecule.
Which type of polymer results in the formation of a small molecule such as water during its production?
Polyamides
What is the key difference between poly(ethene) and poly(ethenol)?
Poly(ethene) does not contain C=C bonds, while poly(ethenol) contains C=C bonds.
Which type of polymer results from the reaction between a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine?
Polyamides
Why are addition polymers typically non-biodegradable?
Due to the absence of polar bonds in the main chain.
Which monomers are involved in the formation of polyamides?
Dicarboxylic acids with diamines
Study Notes
Addition Polymers vs Condensation Polymers
- Addition polymers are formed by joining together many shorter molecules (monomers) to form a long chain molecule, with no byproduct.
- Condensation polymers are formed by joining together many shorter molecules (monomers) to form a long chain molecule, with a small molecule (e.g. water) as a byproduct.
Characteristics of Addition Polymers
- Made from monomers such as alkenes
- Examples include poly(ethene), poly(propene), PVC
- Non-biodegradable due to the absence of polar bonds in the main chain (all bonds are C-C)
Characteristics of Condensation Polymers
- Made from monomers such as dicarboxylic acids with diols, dicarboxylic acids with diamines, amino acids
- Examples include polyesters (e.g. terylene), polyamides (e.g. nylon, Kevlar)
- Biodegradable due to the presence of polar C-N or C-O bonds in the main chain
Polyamides
- Formed by the reaction of a carboxylic acid with an amine, releasing water
- Can be formed by the polymerization of amino acids, which contain a carboxylic acid group and an amine group
- Examples include nylon 6,6, formed from 1,6-diaminohexane and hexane-1,6-dioic acid
Polyesters
- Formed by the reaction of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol, releasing water
- Examples include terylene, formed from ethane-1,2-diol and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid
Test your knowledge on addition and condensation polymers, including what they are and how they are formed. Learn about long chain molecules made by joining shorter molecules together, with and without the production of other small molecules.
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