Lesson 6 of 6 · Organic Chem
Experiment⭐ 30 XPAddition Polymerisation
Organic Chem.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Alkene molecules join end to end when their double bonds open, forming a long saturated chain with no other product. Ethene gives poly(ethene). The polymer's inertness is exactly what makes it useful and what makes it persist in the environment.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- paper clips
- poster paper
- coloured pens
Safety First
- Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Use paper-clip chains to model addition polymerisation, then research and tabulate the decomposition time of four common plastics. Design a labelled poster proposing one realistic reduction in single-use plastic at your school.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2In addition polymerisation, the monomer must contain a:
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
Addition Polymerisation
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
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