AQA · OCR A · AS / Year 12 and Year 13
Polymer Formula and Hydrolysis Questions
Use atom counts and condensed formulae to practise addition polymers, repeat-unit masses and polyester hydrolysis. Choose Year 12 for addition polymers only.
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Worked answer
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Addition polymerisation retains the monomer atoms. Condensation polymerisation eliminates a small molecule as links form. For a polyester repeat unit made from one diol and one diacid, subtract two H₂O when end groups are ignored. Written and condensed-formula questions here do not replace practice drawing repeat units.
A worked example
HO–(CH₂)₂–OH and HOOC–(CH₂)₄–COOH have relative masses 62 and 146. Their polyester repeat unit has relative mass 62 + 146 − 36 = 172. A complete finite chain needs a separate end-group correction.