Notes: 23.5

• OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to (SWBAT)

1. Define monomer and polymers

2. Identify repeating patterns in polymers

• 3 Lecture Q’s (2 Reading Q’s)

• 5-sentence summary

Polymers

• Polymers (poly- meaning “many”) are LARGE

molecular structures made from smaller

MONOMERS (mono- meaning “one”) in a repeating

pattern

• Carbon (C) is the most common atom for making

polymers because it is tetravalent, meaning it can

bond to 4 other atoms (or make 4 bonds)

Polymers

Polymers

Repeating Units of Monomers

( )Parentheses ( ) are put around

repeating units � monomers.

POLYVINYL ALCOHOL

VINYL ALCOHOL

( )

Find the

repeating

pattern

(monomer).

Polymers in Elmer’s Glue

• Polyvinyl alcohol • Polyvinyl acetate

Polymers

• PVC (polyvinyl chloride):

type of plastic used in

pipes, food wrap, hoses,

etc.

• Starch: repeating pattern

of glucose (simple sugar)

molecules

Polymer Characteristics

• Polymers tend to have a thick, pliable,

moldable structure (like plastic, rubber, liquid,

or jelly-like texture)

Biological Molecules are Polymers

MOLECULECOMMON

ELEMENTSMONOMER POLYMER

Carbohydrates C, H, O monosaccharide polysaccharide

Lipids C, Hglycerol, fatty

acids, steroidsno real polymers

Proteins C, H, O, N amino acid polypeptide

Nucleic Acid C, H, O, N, P nucleotide DNA, RNA

Biological Polymers: Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates = Repeating C’s and H’s and O’s

– Monomers: MONOSACCHARIDES (simple sugars like

glucose)

– Polymers: POLYSACCHARIDES (starch, cellulose)

Biological Polymers: Lipids

• Lipids: lot’s of C’s and H’s

– Fat molecules: glycerol connected to 3 long fatty

acid chains

Biological Polymers: DNA

• DNA – nucleic acid

– Monomer: NUCLEOTIDE

– Polymer: DNA, RNA

Biological Polymers: Proteins

• Protein

– Monomers: AMINO ACIDS

– Polymers: POLYPEPTIDES, PROTEINS

Forming Polymers from Polymers

• Binding agents can combine polymers to form

even larger polymers

Hemoglobin: Polymer of Polypeptides