Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry
11.8Polymers
Polymers in Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry: what the syllabus expects you to know, the learning objectives and how to practise.
Subtopic48 practice questions3 lessons
Learning objectives
What the syllabus expects you to be able to do.
- 11.8.1Define polymers as large molecules built up from many smaller molecules called monomers.
- 11.8.2Describe the formation of poly(ethene) from ethene monomers as an example of addition polymerisation.
- 11.8.3State that plastics are made from polymers.
- 11.8.4Describe how the properties of plastics affect how they can be disposed of.
- 11.8.5Describe the environmental problems caused by plastics: disposal in landfill sites, build-up in the oceans and toxic gases formed when they are burned.
- 11.8.6Supplement: identify the repeat units and linkages in addition polymers and in condensation polymers.
- 11.8.7Supplement: deduce the structure or repeat unit of an addition polymer from a given alkene, and the alkene from a given polymer.
- 11.8.8Supplement: deduce the structure or repeat unit of a condensation polymer from given monomers, and the monomers from a given polymer, limited to polyamides (from a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine) and polyesters (from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol).
- 11.8.9Supplement: describe the differences between addition and condensation polymerisation.
- 11.8.10Supplement: describe and draw the structures of nylon (a polyamide) and PET (a polyester); the full chemical name of PET is not required.
- 11.8.11Supplement: state that PET can be converted back into its monomers and polymerised again.
- 11.8.12Supplement: describe proteins as natural polyamides formed from amino acid monomers with the general structure H₂N–CHR–COOH, where R is a side chain that differs between amino acids.
- 11.8.13Supplement: describe and draw the structure of a protein as amino acid units joined by amide linkages.
Lessons
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Addition polymers and plastics
35 min
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Condensation polymers: nylon and polyesters
35 min
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Natural polymers: proteins and starch
35 min
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Sample question
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Turn Polymers into a strength.
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