Making plastics from atoms
Interactive
Why do different plastics have different properties?
In this interactive you'll combine atoms into molecules to create various plastics. How many can you make?
Instructions
Get your notebook.
Drag an atom, any atom, into the reactor.
Keep dragging atoms into the reactor until you make a stable monomer.
Read about the polymer you've just made.
Write down the name of the polymer and the chemical formula of the corresponding monomer.
Start over.
Discussion questions
How many plastic polymers can you create using the reactor?
What element did all of your plastic monomers have in common?
If you were designing a tent for extreme weather conditions, which polymer from the list would you use? Explain your reasoning.
Details
NGSS
- DCI | PS1.A: Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways. Atoms form molecules that range in size from two to thousands of atoms.
Learning Objectives
Understand the relationship between different plastics, their properties, and the molecules they're made from.
Concepts
Atoms
Molecules
Plastics
Monomers
Polymers
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