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Chemistry vocabulary · Organic Chemistry

Polymer

Meaning in chemistry, with examples

/ˈpɒlɪmə/nounCommon term

In chemistry, polymer means: A very large molecule made of many small repeating units called monomers, joined in long chains. Plastics, proteins, starch and DNA are all examples.

In Turkish: polimer

How it is used

Used in materials science, industry and biochemistry. Monomers polymerize to form a polymer, and people talk about synthetic and natural polymers, polymer chains and molecular weight distribution.

Example sentences

  1. Polyethylene is a polymer made from ethylene monomers.

  2. The polymer becomes brittle after long exposure to UV light.

Common collocations

  • synthetic polymer
  • natural polymer
  • polymer chain
  • biodegradable polymer
  • alkeneA hydrocarbon with at least one carbon–carbon double bond. Simple ones have the general formula CₙH₂ₙ, and ethene (ethylene) is the smallest.
  • organic compoundA compound built mainly from carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen, often with oxygen, nitrogen or other elements. Fuels, plastics, drugs and most molecules of living things belong here.
  • moleculeA group of two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds. It is the smallest particle of a substance such as water or oxygen gas that still has that substance's chemical properties.

More terms: Organic Chemistry

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