Polymers
Name: ___________________________
Polymers are a class of chemicals that occur naturally or can be made in a laboratory. Polymers are long-chain
molecules made up of repeating smaller chemical units called monomers.
Natural polymers are long-chain molecules made by plants and animals. One common natural polymer is
cellulose. This is the substance that gives plants much of their structure. Cellulose is made up of a long chain of
linked glucose molecules. Other natural polymers are starches, proteins, latex, and fats.
Synthetic polymer are long-chain molecules made by chemists in the laboratory. Synthetic polymers
developed in the early 1900’s included Bakelite, rayon, and cellophane. One of the earliest of the synthetic
polymers made from petroleum products was nylon, invented in 1939. Nylon could be spun into fibers, and
woven into fabrics. Nylon had many of the same properties as silk, and during World War 11 became a
substitute for parachutes. The success of nylon products led to the invention of rayon, Dacron, Orion, and
polyester.
Synthetic polymers uses are endless. They are used for clothing, packaging materials, containers, coatings,
toys, car parts, appliance parts, wall coverings, etc. The properties of synthetic polymers are often enhanced
by the properties of natural polymers in products. Polyester/cotton blends are often found in shirts for
breathability and body of cotton and the wrinkle resistance of polyester.
Plastics revolutionized the packaging industry. Teflon made nonstick cookware a reality. Levels of stretch in
fabrics were found in Lycra and Spandex. Kevlar is strong enough to stop bullets.
Polymers are useful because chemists can change their structure by changing the length of the molecular
chain, changing the chemical composition of the monomer units, or by changing the way the monomer units
are arranged. The length of the polymer chains and the presence or absence of cross-links between chains
determines the physical and chemical properties of polymers. When looking at polymers students recognize
their importance in their daily lives, and gain an understanding of how the polymers are formed.
PolyMerMonoWhat is a monomer?
What is a polymer?
Draw a Picture of a Polymer
Examples of Polymers
SLIME
Test the properties of "Slime"
1. Pull the Slime slowly. What happens?
2.
Pull the Slime hard. What happens?
3.
Roll a piece of Slime into a ball and drop it. What happens?
4.
Place a small piece of Slime on the table top. Hit it with your hand. What happens?
Oobleck
Test the properties of "Oobleck"
1. What is strange about the oobleck?
2. Can you make a ball out of oobleck? What happens if you let go of the ball?
3. What happens if you hit the oobleck fast and hard? What does it feel like? What happens if you just set
your hand on top?
4. When does it act like a solid and when does it act like a liquid?