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S6 Chemistry: Polymers and Plastics (Paper 2: Intermediate)
S6 Chemistry: Polymers and Plastics (Paper 2: Intermediate)
Ten items working back to monomers, judging hydrolysis, and using 226 and 18 in condensation calculations.
Direct answers Answers in order: propene, tetrafluoroethene, the ester group, 1,6-diaminohexane with hexanedioic acid, hydrolysis to a diammonium salt and a diacid, phenylethene, 226, 3.6 g, 100, it cannot be hydrolysed.
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)
- FoundationWhat is the monomer of poly(propene)?
- FoundationWhat is the monomer of PTFE?
- FoundationWhat is the linking group along a polyester chain?
- IntermediateWhich two monomers condense to give nylon-6,6?
- IntermediateWhat happens when a polyamide is heated with dilute hydrochloric acid?
- IntermediateWhat is the monomer of polystyrene?
- ChallengeWhat is the relative mass of the nylon-6,6 repeat unit C12H22N2O2? (C 12, H 1, N 14, O 16)
- Challenge0.20 mol of a diamine and 0.20 mol of a dicarboxylic acid condense fully. What mass of water is lost? (One water per repeat unit, H2O 18)
- ChallengeA nylon sample has relative molecular mass 22 600. What is its degree of polymerisation?
- Error redoError replay: a student claims polystyrene can be hydrolysed back to monomer by dilute acid. What is correct?
03 Answers and one-line notes
| # | Answer | One-line note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Propene (C3H6) | Propene carries a methyl group on the double bonded carbon, and that methyl becomes the side chain. |
| 2 | Tetrafluoroethene (C2F4) | Four fluorines replace the four hydrogens of ethene, and the strong carbon fluorine bonds make PTFE inert. |
| 3 | The ester group (COO) | A carboxyl group and an alcohol group join with loss of water, so a polyester points to a diol and a diacid. |
| 4 | 1,6-Diaminohexane and hexanedioic acid | The diamine supplies amino groups and the diacid supplies carboxyl groups, so both ends can keep growing. |
| 5 | It hydrolyses: amide bonds break to give a diammonium salt and a dicarboxylic acid | Amide bonds are hydrolysed by acid or alkali, so a polyamide degrades while poly(ethene) does not. |
| 6 | Phenylethene, also called styrene (C8H8) | A benzene ring sits on the double bonded carbon and becomes a bulky side group, making the plastic hard and clear. |
| 7 | 226 | Adding 144, 22, 28 and 32 gives 226, the base for any degree of polymerisation. |
| 8 | 3.6 g | The monomers are one to one, so 0.20 mol of repeat units also gives 0.20 mol of water, which weighs 3.6 g. |
| 9 | 100 | Divide by the repeat unit mass of 226: 22 600 over 226 gives 100. |
| 10 | It cannot be hydrolysed because it is an addition polymer | A carbon carbon backbone carries no hydrolysable group; only ester and amide links are broken by acid or alkali. |
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.
When you see a repeat unit, cut at the two linkages first, then add the small molecule back.Tutor Registration →
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