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Polymer - GCSE Chemistry Definition

Reviewed by: Richard Boole

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A polymer is a large molecule made up of many repeating smaller units called monomers. These units are lnked together in a long chain-like structure. Polymers can be:

  • Natural, such as proteins, starch, and DNA

    Synthetic, such as plastics like polyethene and nylon

Polymers have unique properties (e.g. flexibility, strength, low density) due to their size and structure, that make them useful for packaging, clothing, and medical materials. GCSE Chemistry studies the formation and uses of polymers.

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Richard Boole

Reviewer: Richard Boole

Expertise: Chemistry Content Creator

Richard has taught Chemistry for over 15 years as well as working as a science tutor, examiner, content creator and author. He wasn’t the greatest at exams and only discovered how to revise in his final year at university. That knowledge made him want to help students learn how to revise, challenge them to think about what they actually know and hopefully succeed; so here he is, happily, at SME.

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