11

General
Chemistry 1
Quarter 2 – Module 6:
Polymers
General Chemistry 1 – Senior High School
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 2 – Module 6: Polymers
October 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of
the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office
wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such
agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their
respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership
over them.

Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Compiler / Developer: Ritchelle W. Origenes
Content Editor/s: Mrs. Celia C. Gepitulan, Principal I, Regino Mercado Night High School
Reviewers: Mr. Bonnie James A. Saclolo, Teacher III, Cebu City National Science HS
Mrs. Jocelyn C. Butanas, Master Teacher I, Talamban National High School
Language Editor: Roquesa B. Sabejon, PSDS-ND7
Management Team:

RHEA MAR A. ANGTUD, Ed.D., Schools Division Superintendent

DANILO G. GUDELOSAO, Ed.D., Asst. Schools Division Superintendent
GRECIA F. BATALUNA, CID Chief
RAYLENE S. MANAWATAO, EPSvr – Science
LUIS O. DERASIN JR. DPA, EPSvr – Araling Panlipunan/SHS Division Coordinator
VANESSA L. HARAYO, EPS, LRMS

Printed in the Philippines by DepEd Cebu City

Department of Education – Region VII

Office Address: New Imus Road, Barangay Day-as, Cebu City

Telephone No.: (032) 253 2559
E-mail Address: cebu.city@deped.gov.ph
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
master the nature of Chemistry. The scope of this module permits it to be used in
many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse
vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course.

The module consists of one lesson which is all about Polymers.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. describe the formation and structure of polymers (STEM_GC11OCIIg-j-91);
2. give examples of polymers (STEM_GC11OCIIg-j-92); and
3. explain the properties of some polymers in terms of their structure
(STEM_GC11OCIIg-j-93).

What I Know

Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. What holds the atoms in a biological molecule together?

A. ionic bond C. metallic bond
B. triple bond D. covalent bond

2. Which of the following is NOT a polymer?

A. proteins C. carbohydrates
B. nucleic acid D. carboxylic acid

3. What are formed when polymers amino acids are linked together?
A. proteins C. carbohydrates
B. nucleic acid D. carboxylic acid

4. Which of the following is a natural polymer?

A. kevlar C. cellulose
B. polygon D. polypropylene

5. Which substance is made up of many monomers joined together in long

chains?
A. salt C. polygon
B. ethanol D. cellulose
6. Which of the following is CORRECT
about Polyethylene? It is a _________.
A. polymer C. elastomer
B. monomer D. copolymer

7. Which pattern is NOT a copolymer?

A. AAAAAAAAAAAAAA C. CCCDDDCCCDDDCCC
B. BBBBBBBBAAAAAAA D. CCDDDCCDDDCCDDD

8. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of thermoplastic?

A. can be molded C. commonly used as plastic bottle
B. no cross links between chains D. resistance to heat and won’t melt

9. What does the word ‘polymer’ mean?

A. single entity B. two entities C. multiple entities D. any entity
10. Which of the following is the characteristic property of a polymer material?
A. hardness C. high mechanical strength
B. high elongation D. high temperature stability

11. What is the unique property of polymeric materials?

A. elasticity B. plasticity C. viscoelasticity D. none of the above

12. What cause elastic deformation in polymers?

A. slippage of molecular chains
B. long chain of covalent bonds
C. straightening of molecular chains
D. slight adjustment of molecular chains

13. Which of the following polymer type is NOT classified on the basis of its
application and properties?
A. fibers B. plastics C. rubbers D. synthetic

14. Which of the following is NOT a property of most polymers?

A. low density C. acid resistant
B. water-soluble D. non-conductive

15. Which of the following is the CORRECT definition of a polymer? It is

________.
A. very long molecule
B. very long molecule with no pattern to its structure
C. giant lattice of carbon atoms in a repeating pattern
D. very long covalent molecule constructed from a repeating unit
 Lesson Polymers

What’s In

Polymers are very large molecules containing hundreds or thousands of

atoms. People have been using polymers since prehistoric time, and chemists have
been synthesizing them for the past century. Natural polymers are the basis of all
life processes, and our technological society is largely dependent on synthetic
polymers.

In this module, we will discuss some of the preparation and properties of

important synthetic organic polymers in addition to two naturally occurring polymers
that are vital to living systems—proteins and nucleic acids.

What’s New
Macromolecules are large molecules (polymers) made up of smaller subunits
called monomers and when monomers link together, they form polymers. Answer
the following and write the correct answers on a separate sheet of paper.

I. Match the monomer on the left to the macromolecules on the right.

_________1. Fatty acids and glycerol A. Protein

_________2. Monosaccharide B. Lipid
_________3. Nucleotide C. Nucleic acid
_________4. Amino acid D. Carbohydrate

II. Match the polymer on the left to the macromolecules on the right.

_________1. DNA A. Protein

_________2. Enzyme B. Lipid
_________3. Triglyceride C. Nucleic acid
_________4. Polysaccharide D. Carbohydrate

What Is It

A polymer is a molecular compound distinguished by a high molar mass,

ranging into thousands and millions of grams, and made up of many repeating units.
The physical properties of these so-called macromolecules differ greatly from those
of small, ordinary molecules, and special techniques are required to study them.
 Naturally occurring polymers include proteins, nucleic acids, cellulose
(polysaccharides), and rubber (polyisoprene). Most synthetic polymers are organic
compounds. Familiar examples are nylon, poly(hexamethylene adipamide); Dacron,
poly(ethylene terephthalate); and Lucite or Plexiglas, poly(methyl methacrylate).

The development of polymer chemistry began in the 1920s with the

investigation into a puzzling behavior of certain materials, including wood, gelatin,
cotton, and rubber. For example, when rubber, with the known empirical formula of
C5H8, was dissolved in an organic solvent, the solution displayed several unusual
properties—high viscosity, low osmotic pressure, and negligible freezing-point
depression. These observations strongly suggested the presence of solutes of very
high molar mass, but chemists were not ready at that time to accept the idea that
such giant molecules could exist. Instead, they postulated that materials such as
rubber consist of aggregates of small molecular units, like C 5H8 or C10H16, held
together by intermolecular forces. This misconception persisted for a number of
years, until Hermann Staudinger† clearly showed that these so-called aggregates
are, in fact, enormously large molecules, each of which contains many thousands of
atoms held together by covalent bonds.

Once the structures of these macromolecules were understood, the way was
open for manufacturing polymers, which now pervade almost every aspect of our
daily lives. About 90 percent of today’s chemists, including biochemists, work with
polymers.

The simplest and one of the best-known synthetic polymers is polyethylene,

which is constructed from ethylene monomers. Its structure is

where n represents a large number (usually several thousand). Polyethylene is a

tough, flexible plastic used for piping, bottles, electrical insulation, film for
packaging, garbage bags, and many other purposes. Its properties can be varied by
using substituted ethylene monomers. For example, when tetrafluoroethylene is the
monomer, the polymer Teflon is obtained.

Because of the resistance of the strong C-F bonds to chemical attack, Teflon is an
inert, tough, and nonflammable material that is widely used for electrical insulation,
nonstick coatings for cooking utensils, and bearings for low-temperature
applications.

Other similar polyethylene-type polymers are made from monomers

containing chloro, methyl, cyano, and phenyl substituents (Table 1). In each case,
the carbon–carbon double bond in the substituted ethylene monomer becomes a
single bond in the polymer. The different substituents lead to a wide variety of
properties.

Table 1. Some Common Synthetic Polymers, Their Monomers, and Applications

Source: Zumdahl, S. S., & DeCoste, D. J. (2018). Introductory chemistry: A foundation. Cengage learning.

The polyethylene polymers illustrate one of the major types of polymerization

reactions, called addition polymerization, in which the monomers simply “add
together” to form the polymer and there are no other products.

Another common type of polymerization is condensation polymerization, in

which a small molecule, such as water, is formed for each extension of the polymer
chain. The most familiar polymer produced by condensation is nylon. Nylon is a
copolymer because two different types of monomers combine to form the chain (a
homopolymer, by contrast, results from the polymerizing of a single type of
monomer). One common form of nylon is produced when hexamethylenediamine and
adipic acid react by splitting out a water molecule to form a C-N bond:

Nylon

The molecule formed, which is called a dimer (two monomers joined), can
undergo further condensation reactions because it has an amino group at one end
and a carboxyl group at the other. Thus, both ends are free to react with another
monomer. Repetition of this process leads to a long chain of the type

which is the general structure of nylon. The reaction to form

nylon occurs quite readily and is often used as a lecture
demonstration (Figure 1). The properties of nylon can be
varied by changing the number of carbon atoms in the chain
of the acid or amine monomers.

More than 1 million tons of nylon are produced

annually in the United States for use in clothing, carpets,
rope, and so on. Many other types of condensation polymers
are also produced. For example, Dacron is a copolymer formed
from the condensation reaction of ethylene glycol (a dialcohol)
and p-terephthalic acid (a dicarboxylic acid).
Figure 1. Nylon Formation
Source: Zumdahl, S. S., &
DeCoste, D. J.
(2018). Introductory chemistry:
A foundation. Cengage
learning.

The repeating unit of Dacron is

Note that this polymerization involves a carboxylic acid and an alcohol to form an
ester group,

Thus, Dacron is called a polyester. By itself or blended with cotton, Dacron is used
widely in fibers for the manufacture of clothing.
 What’s More

Read and answer the following on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Define the following terms:

a. monomer = ____________________________________________
b. polymer = ____________________________________________
c. homopolymer = ____________________________________________
d. copolymer = ____________________________________________
e. addition polymerization = __________________________________

2. Give at least two examples of polymers produced by addition

polymerization.
a. _______________
b. _______________

3. For the polymeric substances nylon and Dacron, sketch

representations of the repeating unit in each.
a. Nylon = ___________________________

b. Dacron = ___________________________

4. Describe the formation of polystyrene. _____________________________

What I Have Learned

Give the missing term(s) to complete the statements in every paragraph. Write your
answers on a separate sheet.
A __________(1) is a molecular compound distinguished by a high molar mass,
ranging into thousands and millions of grams, and made up of many repeating units.

Naturally occurring polymers include ___________(2), nucleic acids,

___________(3) (polysaccharides), and _________(4) (polyisoprene). Most synthetic
polymers are organic compounds. Familiar examples are nylon, poly(hexamethylene
adipamide); Dacron, poly(ethylene terephthalate); and Lucite or Plexiglas,
poly(methyl methacrylate).

In polymerization, the _________(5) units simply combine over and over again
to form the long chain of _________(6). In ___________(7) polymerization the polymers
are formed by the addition of monomers with no by-products whereas in
_____________(8) polymerization, the polymers are formed due to the condensation of
more than one type of monomers resulting in the formation of small molecules such
as HCl, water, ammonia, etc., as by-products.

What I Can Do
Read the selection below and answer the following questions. Write your answers
on a separate sheet of paper.

Biological Macromolecules

Most common elements in living things are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and
oxygen. These four elements constitute about 95% of your body weight. All
compounds can be classified in two broad categories ---organic and inorganic
compounds. Organic compounds are all based on carbon. Carbon can form single
bonds with another atom and also bond to other carbon molecules forming double
and triple bonds. This allows carbon-based molecules to form single and double
chains, rings, and branching chains. Most organic compounds are built primarily of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen but in different ratios. Each small organic molecule
can be a unit of a large organic molecule called a macromolecule. If the small organic
units are identical or form patterns they are called monomers and the large organic
molecule they form is called a polymer.

When monomers are joined together the reaction is called dehydration

synthesis or condensation as water is produced when the monomers are bonded
together. To break the polymers down again the reaction is called hydrolysis.

There are four classes of macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and

nucleic acids. Heterotrophs, like us, must get these biological macromolecules from
our food which we break down into monomers through digestion. This makes the
molecules small enough to cross cell membranes. Our cells use them either as energy
sources or to build the carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids that our
body needs.

Questions:
1. What atom makes up the backbone of biological macromolecules?
_________________
2. What kinds of shapes can carbon based molecules form?
_________________
3. What are macromolecules?
_________________
4. What four categories are life’s large molecules or “polymers” classified into?
________________ _________________
________________ _________________
5. How are monomers related to polymers?
_________________
6. When polymers are built, the process is called a dehydration reaction. Why
is the word “dehydration used?”
_________________
 7. What does the prefix “hydro” and the suffix “lysis” mean?
_________________
8. Why does a cell (or your body) need to break down polymers into monomers?
Give at least two reasons for this.
_________________
_________________

Assessment

Write the letter of the correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What happens when addition of polymers forms?

A. a double bond in the monomer remains in the polymer.
B. delocalized electrons move along the long polymer chains
C. the monomers are bonded to each other by dispersion forces.
D. a double bond in the monomer supplies the electrons for the bond
between monomers

2. How is the covalent bonding formed in polyethene? It is formed _______.

A. due to the dipoles present in the monomers
B. with dispersion forces between neighboring chains
C. throughout because a polymer is a covalent network lattice
D. due to the in the crosslinking of monomers between polymer chains

3. What monomer is used to form the polymer shown below?

A. CH2CHOH C. CHOHCHOH
B. CH3CH2OH D. CHOHCH2CHOHCH2

4. Which of the following is NOT a use of polyethene?

A. milk containers C. plastic garbage bags
B. black garden tubing D. non-stick coating for pans

5. What is the difference between an addition polymer and a condensation

polymer?
A. They both use monomers with a double bond.
B. They use different types of starting monomers.
C. Condensation polymers are commonly done in the laboratory; addition
polymers are synthetic.
D. During condensation polymerization one product form, while in addition
polymerization only two product forms.
6. Which of the following molecules could NOT be used as the monomer for an
addition polymer?
A. C2F4 B. C2H3CN C. C2H3CH3 D. C2H4Cl2

7. When did polymer chemistry begin?

A. 1900s B. 1920s C. 1940s D. 1960s

8. What is the empirical formula of rubber?

A. CH B C2F4 C. C5H8 D. C2H3CH3

9. Which of the following is CORRECT about the types of polymer?

I. -A-A-A-A-A-A-
II. -A-B-B-A-A-A-B-A-

A. (I) Fiber, (II) Elastomer

B. (I) Homopolymer, (II) Copolymer
C. (I) Natural polymer, (II) Synthetic polymer
D. (I) Linear polymer, (II) Branched polymer

10. Which correctly describes a Dacron? It is an example of ________.

A. polyacrylnitrile B. polyamides C. polyesters D. polypropenes

11. Which of the following is a condensation polymer?

A. neoprene B. nylon C. PVC D. teflon

12. What type of polymer are Teflon and neoprene?

A. copolymers C. homopolymers
B. monomers D. condensation polymers

13. Which of the following polymers is a thermal insulator?

A. nylon B. neoprene C. polystyrene D. natural rubber

14. Why is Teflon used as nonstick coatings for cooking utensil? It is because
___________.
A. the strong bonds between C-F bonds making it resistant to chemical
attack
B. substitution of ethylene monomer in the polyethylene polymer makes it
heat resistant
C. of the carboxylic acid and an alcohol group interaction forming a strong
an ester group
D. the number of carbon atoms in the acid or amine chain contributes to
high heat conductivity

15. Which of the following is an example of an organic polymer?

A. nylon C. rubber (polyisoprene)
B. dacron D. poly(hexamethylene adipamide);
Answer Key
Answer Key
References
Books

Brown, T. L., LeMay Jr, H. E., Bursten, B. E., & Murphy, C. J. (1997). Chemistry: The
central science. Journal of Chemical Education.

Chang, R. (2010). Chemistry 10th Edition. USA: f The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Corwin, C. H. (2018). Introductory Chemistry Concepts and Critical Thinking 8th ed. USA:
Prentice Education, Inc.

Ilao, L. V., Lontoc, B. M., Paderna-Gayon, E. S., (2016). General Chemistry 1. Rex Book
Store.

Zumdahl, S. S., & DeCoste, D. J. (2018). Introductory chemistry: A foundation. Cengage

learning.

Online Sources

https://studylib.net/doc/6746782/macromolecule-worksheet-answer-key.doc

https://studyres.com/doc/14197160/macromolecule-worksheet

https://nptel.ac.in/content/storage2/courses/112108150/pdf/MCQs/MCQ_m11.pdf

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education - Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)

Ground Floor, Bonifacio Bldg., DepEd Complex

Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, Philippines 1600

Telefax: (632) 8634-1072; 8634-1054; 8631-4985

Email Address: blr.lrqad@deped.gov.ph * blr.lrpd@deped.gov.ph