Properties of polymers

What you need to know

• Polymers have very large molecules.
• Atoms within a polymer molecule are linked by strong covalent bonds.
• The intermolecular forces between polymer molecules are relatively strong.
• Relatively strong intermolecular forces help explain why polymers are solids at room temperature, and polymer diagrams show very large bonded molecules.

The big picture

Polymers have very large molecules. Within each polymer molecule, atoms are linked to other atoms by strong covalent bonds. The intermolecular forces between separate polymer molecules are relatively strong, which helps explain why polymers are solids at room temperature. You should also be able to recognise a polymer from a diagram showing a very large covalently bonded molecule.

From structure to property

Follow the chain from what a polymer is to why it is solid at room temperature.

1. 1

   One very large molecule

   A polymer consists of very large molecules, so begin by recognising the large connected structure.

   +
2. 2

   Atoms linked strongly

   Within each polymer molecule, atoms are linked to other atoms by strong covalent bonds.

3. 3

   Molecules attract each other

   Between separate polymer molecules, the intermolecular forces are relatively strong.

4. 4

   Solid at room temperature

   Those relatively strong intermolecular forces help explain why polymers are solids at room temperature.

Tap any cell to reveal it. Tap a column header to read one property down every item.

Spot the polymer

Use structure, not guesswork.

Which description would best match a diagram of a polymer?

Memory hook

Think BIG–STRONG–SOLID: very BIG molecules, relatively STRONG forces between them, so polymers are SOLID at room temperature.

Check yourself

What two different kinds of attraction must you distinguish when explaining a polymer's structure and its solid state?