BRAINCAKEIdentifying the Repeating Group
The repeat unit is the smallest part of a polymer chain that repeats over and over to build the whole chain. For an addition polymer made from a monomer with one C=C bond, the repeat unit contains two main-chain carbon atoms.
From a monomer to the repeat unit:
1. Draw the two carbon atoms of the C=C, joined by a single bond instead of the double bond.
2. Draw every other atom or group on these carbons as a side group, above or below the chain.
3. Draw an extension bond out from each carbon, to show the chain continues.
4. Put square brackets across the extension bonds and write n after the closing bracket.
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More in Alkenes
- Electrophilic Addition of Hydrogen Halides
- Unsymmetrical Molecules
- Addition Polymerisation
- Identifying the Monomer
- Polymer Waste
- Recycling
- Incineration
- Biodegradable Polymers
All 19 lessons in Alkenes · All Edexcel AS-level Chemistry topics