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Polymerisation of ethene gives poly(ethene) - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 24 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 24
Polymerisation of ethene gives poly(ethene). How does the bonding between carbon atoms in poly(ethene) compare with that in ethene? A longer and stronger in poly(et... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Polymerisation of ethene gives poly(ethene) - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 24 - 2017 - Paper 1
Step 1
How does the bonding between carbon atoms in poly(ethene) compare with that in ethene?
Answer
The bonding between carbon atoms in poly(ethene) is longer and weaker compared to the bonding in ethene. In ethene, carbon atoms are connected by a double bond (C=C), which is shorter and stronger due to the presence of both a sigma bond and a pi bond. In poly(ethene), the carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds (C-C) formed during polymerization, leading to increased bond length and reduced bond strength because only sigma bonds are present.