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S6 Chemistry: Polymers and Plastics (Paper 1: Basics)
S6 Chemistry: Polymers and Plastics (Paper 1: Basics)
Ten items separating addition from condensation polymers, naming monomers and linkages, plus degree of polymerisation.
Direct answers Answers in order: ethene, water, the amide group, chloroethene, 28, a diol with a dicarboxylic acid, 1 000, 56.8 per cent, 0.50 mol, no small molecule is released.
01 Paper details (check answers afterwards)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 10 |
| Suggested time | 20 |
| Difficulty mix | Foundation 3 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 3 · Error redo 1 |
| Chapter | Chapter: S6 Chemistry: Polymers and Plastics |
| Level | S6 |
02 Questions (10 items)
- FoundationWhich monomer has exactly the same atoms as the repeat unit of poly(ethene)?
- FoundationWhich small molecule is usually lost in condensation polymerisation?
- FoundationWhat is the linking group along a polyamide chain such as nylon?
- IntermediateWhat is the monomer of poly(chloroethene), PVC?
- IntermediateWhat is the relative mass of the repeat unit C2H4 of poly(ethene)? (C 12, H 1)
- IntermediatePET is a condensation polymer. Which two classes of monomer make it?
- ChallengeA poly(ethene) sample has relative molecular mass 28 000. What is its degree of polymerisation? (Repeat unit 28)
- ChallengeWhat percentage by mass of a PVC repeat unit C2H3Cl is chlorine? (Cl 35.5)
- Challenge0.50 mol of ethene is fully polymerised by addition. How many moles of repeat units are in the polymer?
- Error redoError replay: a student says addition polymerisation gives out water. What is correct?
03 Answers and one-line notes
| # | Answer | One-line note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethene (C2H4) | Addition polymerisation opens the C=C bond and keeps every atom, so the repeat unit matches the monomer. |
| 2 | Water | Diamines with dicarboxylic acids and diols with dicarboxylic acids both lose water; a few routes lose hydrogen chloride. |
| 3 | The amide group (CONH) | A carboxyl group and an amino group join with loss of water, so a polyamide is recognised from an acid and an amine. |
| 4 | Chloroethene (C2H3Cl) | The C=C bond of chloroethene opens into the chain and each chlorine stays on a repeat unit. |
| 5 | 28 | Two carbons give 24 and four hydrogens give 4, so 28 is the base for every degree of polymerisation. |
| 6 | A diol and a dicarboxylic acid | Ethane-1,2-diol and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid lose water to form ester links along the chain. |
| 7 | 1 000 | Divide the mass of the polymer by the mass of one repeat unit: 28 000 over 28 gives 1 000. |
| 8 | 56.8% | The repeat unit weighs 62.5 and chlorine contributes 35.5, so take 35.5 over 62.5 as a percentage. |
| 9 | 0.50 mol | Each monomer becomes one repeat unit with no atoms lost, so the amount stays the same. |
| 10 | Addition polymerisation releases no small molecule at all | Only condensation loses water or hydrogen chloride; in addition polymerisation the polymer is the only product. |
04 What to do after marking
- After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
- Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
- Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.
Write “addition gives only the polymer” and “condensation loses a small molecule” on line one of your notes.Tutor Registration →
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