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This lesson covers addition polymers and condensation polymers as required by the AQA GCSE Chemistry specification (5.8.2). Polymers are large molecules made by joining many small molecules together. Understanding how polymers are formed and their properties is essential for GCSE Chemistry. Condensation polymerisation is Higher Tier only [H].
A polymer is a very large molecule (a macromolecule) made by joining together many small molecules called monomers. The process of joining monomers together is called polymerisation.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Monomer | A small molecule that can join with many others to form a polymer |
| Polymer | A very large molecule made up of many repeating monomer units |
| Polymerisation | The chemical reaction in which monomers join together to form a polymer |
There are two types of polymerisation:
| Type | Monomer Requirement | By-product | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addition polymerisation | Alkenes (contain C=C double bond) | None | Foundation and Higher |
| Condensation polymerisation | Monomers with two functional groups | Small molecule (e.g., water) | Higher only [H] |
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