Polymers
As an introduction to the lesson, I would do a PEOE with the students based on the following video:
What is a polymer?
- Large molecule made up of repeating individual units
- Each individual unit is called a monomer
- The process of making a polymer is called polymerization
Have your students brainstorm some other examples.
Synthetic polymers are lab-made and have many functions. Some examples include:
A homopolymer has only one type of monomer which repeats itself within the polymer. In contrast, a copolymer has two or more different kinds of monomers throughout the polymer chain.
Two different reaction types exist to create polymers:
Two different reaction types exist to create polymers:
- An addition polymer is exactly what it sounds like: addition reactions form between the monomers of unsaturated C-C bonds to make saturated C-C bonds and long chain linkages
- A condensation polymer, again, is what it sounds like: condensation reactions between monomers allow a long chain to form
- The most common are ester and amide linkages
Here is a Crash Course Chemistry video on polymers to consolidate the lesson: