What is addition polymerization?

What is addition polymerization?

• A. Condensation reaction releasing water
• B. Joining of many monomer molecules with C=C double bonds to form polymers
• C. Breaking polymers into monomers
• D. Polymerization of alkynes

Answer: (B)

Addition polymerization is when many small unsaturated molecules join through their C=C double bonds to form a long polymer chain. The double bonds open up and each monomer adds to the growing chain, creating repeating units with single bonds along the backbone. No small molecule is released in this process, so the polymer’s mass comes from the monomers used, not from losing water or other byproducts. A classic example is ethene turning into polyethylene. This differs from condensation polymerization, where linking units releases a small molecule such as water, and from depolymerization, which breaks polymers back into monomers. It also doesn’t typically involve polymers formed from alkynes, since those use triple bonds and follow different reaction pathways.

Addition polymerization is when many small unsaturated molecules join through their C=C double bonds to form a long polymer chain. The double bonds open up and each monomer adds to the growing chain, creating repeating units with single bonds along the backbone. No small molecule is released in this process, so the polymer’s mass comes from the monomers used, not from losing water or other byproducts. A classic example is ethene turning into polyethylene.

This differs from condensation polymerization, where linking units releases a small molecule such as water, and from depolymerization, which breaks polymers back into monomers. It also doesn’t typically involve polymers formed from alkynes, since those use triple bonds and follow different reaction pathways.