What is polymer? and what is monomer?

Question

What is polymer? and what is monomer?

Answer 1

Polymer is a greek word which means many pieces (polla meri). By definition it's a macromolecule (long molecule) which has been created by the reaction of many molecules called monomers.

Now, going to details:

A polymer can consist of many repeated units that are the same. This polymer is called homopolymer.

It can also consist of different repeated units (whih means that during the formation of the polymer you had more than one type of monomers reacting) and is then called a copolymer.

Commonly a monomer is an organic molecule, containing two carbon atoms which share a double bond (C=C). This double bond will "open" during the polymerization allowing each carbon atom to be attached to another one... So what you get is C-C-C-C-C-C..

for more information check the links..

Answer 2

polymers are chains of one molecule and a monomer is a single molecule (used only for single molecules which have the capability of forming polymers).

sugar and starch is an example.

actually if you write into google:

define: polymer

define: monomer

you will get a whole lot of definitions