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CAIE IGCSE Chemistry 11.8 Polymers Questions

Practise deriving monomers and repeat units, distinguishing addition from condensation polymerisation and identifying ester, amide or carbohydrate linkages.

Syllabus
2026–2028
Course
Chemistry 0620

Exam points

  • derive an addition-polymer repeat unit by opening the monomer carbon-carbon double bond
  • recover a monomer from an addition repeat unit by restoring the double bond and side groups
  • identify condensation repeat units and ester, amide or oxygen linkages from structures

Covered syllabus points

11.8.1—Polymers as large molecules built up11.8.2—Formation of poly(ethene) as an11.8.3—Plastics are made from polymers11.8.4—Properties of plastics have11.8.5—Environmental challenges caused by11.8.6—Repeat units and/or linkages in11.8.7—Deduce the structure or repeat unit of11.8.8—Deduce the structure or repeat unit of11.8.9—Differences between addition and11.8.10—And draw the structure of: (a) nylon11.8.11—PET can be converted back into11.8.12—Proteins as natural polyamides and11.8.13—And draw the structure of proteins as

Question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

Part of the structure of a very large molecule is shown.

Figure for Question 1 — CAIE IGCSE Chemistry

Which term describes the small unit used to make this molecule?

A

hydrocarbon

B

monomer

C

polymer

D

saturated

Question 2

[Maximum number: 1]

The flow diagram shows how poly(ethene) may be made from petroleum.

Figure for Question 2 — CAIE IGCSE Chemistry

What are stages 1,2 and 3 ?

1

2

3

cracking

polymerisation

fractional distillation

cracking

fractional distillation

polymerisation

fractional distillation

cracking

polymerisation

fractional distillation

polymerisation

cracking

Question 3

[Maximum number: 6]

Question (a)

(a)

Part of the synthetic polymer, nylon, is shown in the diagram.

Figure for Question (a) — CAIE IGCSE Chemistry
[ 4 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Circle one amide linkage on the diagram.

[ 1 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

Complete the structures of the two monomers that react to form nylon.

Figure for Question (ii) — CAIE IGCSE Chemistry
Figure for Question (ii) — CAIE IGCSE Chemistry
[ 2 ]

Question (iii)

(iii)

Name the other product formed when nylon is produced.

[ 1 ]

Question (b)

(b)

Items made from nylon are often disposed of by burying them in the ground. This is called landfill.

Why is the disposal of nylon using landfill a problem?

[ 1 ]

Question (c)

(c)

Give the name of a natural polymer.

[ 1 ]
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