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CIE iGCSE Co-Ordinated Science C11.7 Polymers Exam Style Questions Paper 2

CIE iGCSE Co-Ordinated Science Paper 2 - All Chapters

Question

Poly(ethene) and nylon are two different types of polymer. Which statement about these polymers is correct?

A. Nylon is an addition polymer.
B. The linkage between monomers in nylon is –CONH–.
C. Poly(ethene) and nylon are made from the same monomers.
D. Poly(ethene) and nylon have the same linkages between their monomers.

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Nylon is a condensation polymer formed when a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid react together, releasing water molecules and forming an amide linkage (–CONH–) between each pair of monomers.
Poly(ethene) is an addition polymer (no small molecule released); the two polymers use different monomers and have different types of linkages — only statement B is correct.
✅ Answer: (B)

Question

Which row about the formation of condensation polymers is correct?

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Condensation polymerisation uses two different monomers, unlike addition polymerisation which uses one monomer containing a C=C bond.
Condensation polymerisation also produces a small molecule (such as water) alongside the polymer.
✅ Answer: (D)

Question

The structure of the monomer chloroethene is shown.

What is a part of the structure of the addition polymer formed from this monomer?

▶️ Answer/Explanation
In addition polymerisation, the C=C double bond in each chloroethene monomer opens up to form a single bond.
Monomers then join end-to-end through these single bonds, keeping the chlorine atom attached to every other carbon.
The repeat unit must show single C–C bonds throughout the backbone with one Cl per carbon, which matches diagram A.
✅ Answer: (A)

Question

A section of polymer X is shown.

Which statement about X is correct?

A. It is a condensation polymer made from but-1-ene.
B. It is an addition polymer made from but-1-ene.
C. It is a condensation polymer made from but-2-ene.
D. It is an addition polymer made from but-2-ene.

▶️ Answer/Explanation
The polymer repeat unit shown has a backbone of four carbon atoms in a continuous chain, indicating it was formed from but-2-ene via addition polymerisation. Addition polymers form from alkenes without loss of any atoms.
✅ Answer: (D)

Question

Which row shows the structure of poly(ethene) and the type of polymerisation used to make it?

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Poly(ethene) is made by addition polymerisation of ethene monomers. The repeating unit in poly(ethene) is \(-CH_2-CH_2-\), not a structure containing nitrogen or oxygen. Addition polymerisation involves monomers joining without loss of small molecules, unlike condensation polymerisation.
✅ Answer: (C)
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