Polymers Flashcards

All 4 cards in this deck

Describe the structure of a simple polymer such as poly(ethene).

Very large molecules made of long chains of carbon atoms.

Why do polymers have higher melting points than small molecules like ethene?

Their molecules are much larger, so the intermolecular forces between the chains are stronger and more energy is needed to separate them.

Are polymers solid or gaseous at room temperature, and why?

Solid, because the intermolecular forces between the long chains are strong enough to hold the molecules together.

True or false? Poly(ethene) conducts electricity.

False. It has no delocalised electrons or free ions, so it is an insulator.