Question 1 Medium
What is the name for a polymer that softens when heated?
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Answer: thermosoftening
- The intermolecular forces are overcome.
- It is thermosoftening.
Polymers: GCSE Combined Science Chemistry practice questions
A second set of questions on polymers. They are different from the ones on the topic page. Try each, then open the answer and compare your working.
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Question 2 Medium
What are the monomers of a protein called?
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Answer: amino acids
- They have an amine group and an acid group.
- They are amino acids.
Question 3 Medium
A polymer chain contains 200 ethene units. How many hydrogen atoms are in the chain?
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Answer: 800
- Each ethene unit, C₂H₄, has 4 hydrogen atoms.
- 200 × 4 = 800.
Question 4 Medium
Name the monomer used to make poly(propene).
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Answer: propene
- The polymer name is poly(name of monomer).
- So the monomer is propene.
Question 5 Hard
Explain why no other product forms when an addition polymer is made.
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Answer: all the atoms in the monomers join the polymer
- The double bonds open.
- All the atoms in the monomers end up in the polymer.
Question 6 Hard
What small molecule is lost when two amino acids join to form part of a protein?
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Answer: water
- This is condensation polymerisation.
- The molecule is water.
Question 7 Hard
Give two functional groups on the monomers that form a polyamide.
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Answer: –NH₂ and –COOH
- A diamine has –NH₂ groups.
- A dicarboxylic acid has –COOH groups.
Question 8 Hard
Why is the ratio of atoms in the repeating unit of poly(ethene) the same as in ethene?
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Answer: no atoms are lost
- No atoms are lost in addition polymerisation.
- So the repeating unit has the same atoms.
Quick checks
Short questions with options. Choose one before you open the answer.
Check 1
What is a polymer?
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A very long molecule made of many repeating units.
Check 2
What is a monomer?
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A small molecule that joins with others to make a polymer.
Check 3
What type of monomer makes an addition polymer?
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An alkene.
Check 4
What happens to the double bond in addition polymerisation?
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It opens up and becomes a single bond.
Check 5
What is the repeating unit of poly(ethene)?
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CH₂–CH₂ in brackets, with a bond out of each end.
Check 6
What is PVC made from?
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Chloroethene.
Check 7
What is PTFE used for?
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Non-stick coatings.
Check 8
Why are most polymers a problem in landfill?
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They are not biodegradable.
Check 9
What is lost in condensation polymerisation?
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A small molecule such as water.
Check 10
What monomers make a polyester?
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A dicarboxylic acid and a diol.
Check 11
What monomers make a polyamide?
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A dicarboxylic acid and a diamine.
Check 12
What two functional groups does an amino acid have?
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–NH₂ and –COOH.
Check 13
What is a protein?
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A polymer of amino acids.
Check 14
What are starch and cellulose made from?
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Glucose.
Check 15
What are the four bases in DNA?
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A, C, G and T.
Check 16
What is the shape of DNA?
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A double helix.
Check 17
What is the monomer of PTFE?
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Tetrafluoroethene.
Check 18
What is the monomer of poly(propene)?
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Propene.
Check 19
What does thermosoftening mean?
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The polymer softens when heated and sets again on cooling.
Check 20
What bonds join the atoms along a polymer chain?
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Strong covalent bonds.
Check 21
Why does a thermosoftening polymer soften when heated?
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The weak forces between the chains are overcome.
Check 22
What type of link joins the monomers in a polyester?
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An ester link.
Check 23
What type of link joins the monomers in a polyamide?
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An amide link.
Check 24
What is a diol?
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A molecule with an –OH group at each end.
Check 25
What is a diamine?
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A molecule with an –NH₂ group at each end.
Check 26
What are the monomers of DNA called?
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Nucleotides.
Check 27
What is cellulose used for in plants?
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It forms strong cell walls.
Check 28
Why is addition polymerisation called addition?
Show answer
The monomers just add together and no other product forms.
Keep going with Polymers
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