Monomer

Key Stage 4

Meaning

A monomer is as small molecule that can bond with other molecules to form a polymer.

About Monomers

Different monomers are used to produce different polymers.

Foundation

There are some monomers that you may know:

• Ethene - This monomer comes together in an Addition Polymerisation to form the polymer; Polythene.
• Propene - This monomer comes together in an Addition Polymerisation to form the polymer; Polypropene.
• TetraFluoroEthene - This monomer comes together in an Addition Polymerisation to form the polymer; PolyTetraFluoroEthene.
• Glucose - This monomer forms the polymers; Starch and Glycogen.
• Amino Acids - This monomer forms the polymers known as Proteins.
• Nucleotides - This monomer forms the polymer; DNA.

Higher

• Glucose - This monomer comes together in a Condensation Polymerisation to form the polymers; Starch and Glycogen.
• Amino Acids - This monomer comes together in a Condensation Polymerisation to form the polymers known as Proteins.
• Nucleotides - This monomer comes together in a Condensation Polymerisation to form the polymer; DNA.

Examples

Monomers that produce Natural Polymers

Glucose	Amino Acid	Nucleotide

Monomers that produce Synthetic Polymers

Ethene	Propene	Tetrafluoroethene

References

AQA

Monomer, pages 74-5, 246-9, GCSE Chemistry; Student Book, Collins, AQA

Monomers, page 158, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 1, Hodder, AQA

Monomers, pages 168-169, 224, GCSE Chemistry; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA

Monomers, pages 187, 263, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA

Monomers, pages 236, 237, 241, 244, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA

Monomers, pages 80, 83, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA

Monomers; of addition polymers, page 188, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA

Monomers; of condensation polymers, page 191, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA

Edexcel

Monomers, page 12, GCSE Biology, Pearson, Edexcel

Monomers, pages 12, 187, GCSE Combined Science, Pearson Edexcel

Monomers, pages 288-292, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel

Monomers, pages 43, 184, 203, GCSE Chemistry, Pearson, Edexcel

Monomers, pages 99, 100, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel

OCR

Monomers, pages 14, 20, 95, Gateway GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR

Monomers, pages 15, 23, Gateway GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR

Monomers, pages 23, 90, 91, Gateway GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR

Monomers, pages 64, 242-243, Gateway GCSE Chemistry, Oxford, OCR