Addition Polymerisation of Ethene

Part of Polymers · Section 3 of 15

DiagramUnit: Organic ChemistryGCSE

This diagram covers Addition Polymerisation of Ethene within Polymers for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Polymers in Organic Chemistry for GCSE Chemistry with 20 exam-style questions and 14 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 3 of 15 in this topic. Focus on the labels, the relationships between parts, and the explanation that turns the diagram into an exam-ready answer.

📐 Addition Polymerisation of Ethene

Addition polymerisation of ethene — individual ethene monomers with C=C double bonds joining to form a long poly(ethene) chain

Figure 1: In addition polymerisation, many alkene monomers join together. The C=C double bond in each monomer opens up to form a single bond in the polymer chain. No other product is formed.

Practice questions for Polymers

What type of monomers are needed for addition polymerisation?

  • A. Molecules with two alcohol groups
  • B. Molecules with a carbon-carbon double bond (C=C)
  • C. Molecules with a carboxyl group (-COOH) only
  • D. Molecules with an amine group (-NH₂)
1 markfoundation

Explain how addition polymerisation works. Include the role of the double bond.

3 marksstandard

Quick recall flashcards

What is a polymer?
A large molecule made up of many repeating units (monomers) joined together
What is a monomer?
A small molecule that can be joined together to form a polymer

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