<h2>What is a polymer?</h2>
<p>Polymers are large molecules (macromolecules) that are made up of many repeating structural <a data-lesson="ideal-gas-laws" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="states-of-matter" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/states-of-matter/ideal-gas-laws">units</a> called <strong>monomers</strong> which have various functional groups. To put it more simply, a monomer is like a <a data-lesson="atoms-and-compounds" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="chemistry-essential-ideas" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/chemistry-essential-ideas/atoms-and-compounds">building</a> block.</p>
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<h3>Fact:</h3>
<p><strong>Mono</strong> means one, while <strong>poly</strong> means many. So a monomer is the single unit, and a polymer is made from many monomers.</p>
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<div class="ns-school-emp">
<h3>Definition: Monomer</h3>
<div class="ns-school-defn">
<p>A monomer is a small molecule that can be combined through a reaction to form a polymer. It is a repeating unit in the polymer.</p>
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<p>When lots of monomers are joined together by covalent bonds, they form a <strong>polymer</strong>.</p>
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<h3>Definition: Polymer</h3>
<div class="ns-school-defn">
<p>Polymer is a term used to describe large molecules consisting of repeating structural units (monomers) connected by covalent chemical bonds.</p>
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<h4>Tip:</h4>
<p>A polymer consists of a backbone, made up of repeating units.</p>
<img alt="4afa5bdca2e2c3fac592a493590edda9.png" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/66b0f5b6-689b-4e42-a88d-feaf591430ce"/></div>
<p>In an <strong>organic polymer</strong>, the monomers are joined by the <em>carbon</em> <a data-lesson="chemical-formulas" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="atoms-molecules-ions" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/atoms-molecules-ions/chemical-formulas">atoms</a> of the polymer backbone or <em>chain</em>. A polymer can also be <strong>inorganic</strong>, in which case there may be atoms such as <em>silicon</em> in the place of <a data-lesson="carbon" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="metals-metalloids-nonmetals" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/metals-metalloids-nonmetals/carbon">carbon</a> atoms. We will look solely at organic polymers. Polymers are a specific <a data-lesson="chemical-properties-of-the-groups" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="classification-of-matter" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/classification-of-matter/chemical-properties-of-the-groups">group</a> of <em>macromolecules</em>. A macromolecule is any compound with a large number of atoms. A <em>biological macromolecule</em> is one that is found in living organisms. Biological macromolecules include molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic <a data-lesson="what-are-acids-and-bases" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="acid-base-redox-reactions" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/acid-base-redox-reactions/what-are-acids-and-bases">acids</a> and lipids. They are essential for all known forms of life to survive.</p>
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<h3>Definition: Macromolecule</h3>
<div class="ns-school-defn">
<p>A macromolecule is any molecule containing a large number of atoms.</p>
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<p>The key feature that makes a polymer different from other macromolecules is the repetition of identical or similar monomers in the polymer chain. Polymers will contain chains of the same type of <a data-lesson="functional-groups" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="organic-molecules" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/organic-molecules/functional-groups">functional group</a> and that functional group is dependent on the monomer used. The examples given over the following pages will help to make these concepts clearer. <em>Plastics</em> are a group of polymers that can be molded during manufacture. They can be one polymer or a blend (mixture) of polymers and may contain other substances as well. These other substances can be inorganic (e.g. used for electronic packaging) or stabilising (e.g. used for increasing fire resistance).</p>
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<h3>Definition: Plastic</h3>
<div class="ns-school-defn">A subgroup of organic polymers that can be molded. Plastics may contain more than one organic polymer as well as other additives.</div>
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<div class="ns-school-defn2">
<h3>Fact:</h3>
<p>A thermoplastic is a plastic that can be heated and molded multiple times without <a data-lesson="factors-affecting-the-equilibrium-constant" data-subject="chemistry" data-tutorial="chemical-equilibrium" href="https://app.ulearngo.com/chemistry/chemical-equilibrium/factors-affecting-the-equilibrium-constant">changing</a> chemically.</p>
<a href="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/4e42df15-a2f8-4b7d-a4f0-12912818f59b"><img alt="thermoplastic" class="size-full wp-image-153645 alignnone" height="514" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/4e42df15-a2f8-4b7d-a4f0-12912818f59b" width="511"/></a></div>
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What is a polymer?

Chemistry generally explores the substances of which matter is composed, the investigation of their properties and reactions, and the use of such reactions to form new substances. 

Chemistry

Learn about the special properties of carbon, functional groups, isomers, IUPAC naming, physical properties, and reactions of organic molecules, as well as the formation and impact of polymers in this tutorial.


What is a polymer?

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