Practise Addition polymerisation. 15 exam-style questions plus unlimited generated ones on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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What is a polymer?
A very large molecule made from many small molecules (monomers) joined together.
What name is given to the small molecules that join together to make a polymer?
Monomers
What is the name of the addition polymer made from chloroethene?
Poly(chloroethene)
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy4 marks
(a) What is a polymer?[1]
(b) Name the polymer made from propene.[1]
(c) Which functional group must a monomer have to form an addition polymer? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
C=C
–OH
–COOH
–NH2
(d) In addition polymerisation, what else is formed as well as the polymer? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Nothing else
Water
Hydrogen
Carbon dioxide
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: A very large molecule made from many small molecules (monomers) joined together.
a very large molecule made from many small molecules (monomers) joined together
(b)Answer: Poly(propene)
poly(propene)
(c)Answer: C=C
(d)Answer: Nothing else
Question 2Medium5 marks
Poly(ethene) is made from ethene. n CH2=CH2 → –(CH2–CH2)n–
(a) Explain why the repeating unit of poly(ethene) has the same atoms as the monomer.[1]
(b) A sample of poly(propene) has a relative formula mass (Mr) of 126 000. Calculate the number of propene molecules, C3H6, that joined to make one molecule of this polymer. Relative atomic masses (Ar): H = 1 C = 12[2]
(c) Ethene decolourises bromine water but poly(ethene) does not. Explain why.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: No other product is formed in addition polymerisation.
no other molecule / product is formed in addition polymerisation
(b)Answer: 3000
Mr of C3H6 = 42
126 000 ÷ 42 = 3000
(c)Answer: Ethene has a C=C double bond; in poly(ethene) the double bonds have become single bonds.
ethene has a C=C double bond (is unsaturated)
in poly(ethene) the double bonds have become single bonds (it is saturated), so bromine cannot add
Question 3Hard3 marks
A quality-control technician tests a sample of a new addition polymer by dissolving a little of it and shaking the solution with bromine water.
(a) Predict the result of this test if the polymer is a typical addition polymer, and explain your prediction.[2]
(b) The bromine water actually turns from orange to colourless. Suggest what this result might indicate about the sample.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: The bromine water should stay orange: a typical addition polymer is saturated (its monomer's C=C double bonds have all become single bonds during polymerisation), so it should not react with bromine water.
the bromine water should stay orange (no colour change)
because the polymer is saturated — the C=C double bonds present in the monomer become single bonds during polymerisation, leaving no C=C bonds to react with the bromine
(b)Answer: The polymerisation may be incomplete, leaving some unreacted monomer (with C=C bonds) in the sample.
the sample may contain some unreacted monomer (containing C=C double bonds), suggesting the polymerisation reaction was incomplete