Polymers Lesson

Concept phase
Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons. They are very small. Molecules are
collections of atoms. They can vary in size from barely larger than atoms (H2 ) to extremely
large. This experiment deals with the extremely large type of atoms.
The most common type of very large molecule looks a lot like a chain of smaller molecules;
these are called polymers, and the individual “links” are called monomers. A picture can be
very helpful in visualizing this concept; below is an image of what polystyrene1 looks like.

Polymers have a wide range of properties and uses. Some are very flexible, like nylon,
rayon, or polyester (synthetic fabrics which are used in clothing). Some are hard and strong,
like PVC (polyvinyl-chloride) or HDPE (high-density polyethylene).
One reason that polymers tend to be so widely used is that they are very light. The main
components in most polymers are hydrogen and carbon, which are very light atoms. This
low density is often a big advantage, especially for the “strong and hard” polymers. Below
are some example densities.

Material Density [g/cm3 ]

LDPE 0.90 – 0.93
HDPE 0.96 – 0.97
PVC 1.37 – 1.39
Aluminum 2.56 – 2.64
Steel 7.48 – 8.00
Gold 19.3 – 19.4

At this point hopefully the kids have some basic intuition about what types of materials
are polymers. Ask them to point out some common items that are made out of polymers.
Some good examples that I can think of off the top of my head include:
• water bottles

• computer and television cases

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Used to make styrofoam

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• bags (ziplock or shopping)

Some things they may not realize are made of polymers are:

• optical lenses (most “glasses” are now actually made with plastic)

• tires (most rubbers are polymers)

• gum (chewing gum is made from sugar and gum base; gum base is a polymer)

• wood (cellulose is a polymer)

• sugar (starch and glycogen, at least)

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 One last thing you may want to cover is recycling. Below is a list of what each recycling
number means2 .

1. Polyethylene terephthalate: Soda bottles, water bottles, vinegar bottles, medicine con-
tainers, backing for photography film.

2. High-density Polyethylene: Containers for: laundry/dish detergent, fabric softeners,

bleach, milk, shampoo, conditioner, motor oil. Newer bullet proof vests, various toys.

3. Polyvinyl cloride: Pipes, shower curtains, meat wraps, cooking oil bottles, baby bottle
nipples, shrink wrap, clear medical tubing, vinyl dashboards and seat covers, coffee
containers.

4. Low-density Polyethylene: Wrapping films, grocery bags, sandwich bags.

5. Polypropylene: Tupperware, syrup bottles, yogurt tubs, diapers, outdoor carpet.

6. Polystyrene: Coffee cups, disposable cutlery and cups (clear and colored), bakery shells,
meat trays, “cheap” hubcaps, packing peanuts, styrofoam insulation.

7. The hotdog of plastics! Products labeled as “other” are made of any combination of
1–6 or another, less commonly used plastic.

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Information below stolen from http://pslc.ws/macrog//work/recycle.htm

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Experiment
Each student will need:

• 15 mL water

• 15 mL Elmer’s glue

• 15 mL corn starch

• Stirring implement

You will need:

• 5 mL borax solution (per student)

The quantities are very approximate. Basically you just need some amount of each in the
mixture. Also, don’t give the students the borax solution beforehand, as if they just drank
it straight it might make them sick.
Have them add the glue, corn starch, and water in their cup. They mix it until everything
is just a paste. It will be gross and slimy. Now add the borax solution and wait 15 seconds.
Then have them continue stirring as the mixture reacts; the mixture should get stickier and
more difficult to stir. Eventually it will be impossible to stir, and then they can take it out
and play with it. It’s non-toxic but after a week bacteria will start to eat the starch in the
mixture and it will grow mold.
The experiment is fairly straightforward, though results vary depending on the relative
quantities and the amount of time stirring. Note that it can take some time after adding the
borax solution for the mixture to react. If you feel the need, add more borax to the mixture.
It sometimes helps.