Resources: Polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, polythene and clear acrylic.
Core Handout: A table to record results and questions to check understanding, as well as the challenge task.
Use the starter task to recap on learning from KS2 about the properties of plastics and their role in society and the environment.
Paper bags are commonly used in the USA for groceries. In the UK, plastic bags are commonly used for groceries. Ask the students to suggest some advantages and disadvantages of using paper and plastic bags.
Using the presentation slides, discuss how polymers are made from small molecules called monomers. Then, use the slides to look at the variety of polymers, including their properties and uses. The students should then carry out their own investigation, looking at a variety of polymers and identifying their properties.
Career Film: Take a tour around Rolls Royce SMR's Heritage Museum in Derby to find out about Eleni Fitsiou's job. Eleni works as an Environmental Scientist for Rolls Royce SMR.
Expert Film: This is Sravani Murtinty. Sravani works as a Component Design Engineer for Rolls Royce SMR. Listen to Sravani as she describes the properties of polymers.
Polymer Observation
The students will examine samples of different polymers and complete the table on the handout with their observations. They should include a description about what makes each plastic unique.
Support: Recap properties from the last lesson and complete table for one of the polymers as an example.
Challenge: When polymers were discovered in the 20th century, they quickly became popular and widely used; but in the 21st century, the use of polymers has been questioned. Explain why the use of polymers to manufacture objects is not as popular today?
Discuss students’ observations and how a particular use of a polymer is linked to their unique properties.
A polymer is a chemical that is made up of many repeating units. It is pretty much a chain of two or more molecules that have been joined together. These single units are known as monomers. So, a polymer is a long chain of smaller molecules known as monomers.
You can get linear polymers or branched polymers. Polymers are also known as ‘plastic’ too. They are mouldable and have many common characteristics. Some of these include: low density, good corrosion ability, poor tensile strength, poor temperature conductors, economical and much more. The polymers physical characteristics are dependent on their chain length, side groups, branching and the cross-linking between them too.
Different types of polymers exist. Polyethene is a very common type. It is also the simplest. It is made from the simplest monomer, ethene. Poly(propene) is very similar to polyethene. It is made from propene however, which contains three carbon atoms instead of two. Other examples also include polyurethane and polyesters.