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Chapter 12: Problem 82

The molecular formula of \(n\) -decane is \(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\left(\mathrm{CH}_{2}\right)_{8} \mathrm{CH}_{3} .\) Decane is not considered a polymer, whereas polyethylene is. What is the distinction?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The distinction between n-decane and polyethylene lies in their molecular structures and whether they are comprised of repeating monomeric units. n-Decane is a simple hydrocarbon with a linear chain of 10 carbon and 22 hydrogen atoms, and does not consist of any repeating monomeric units. Polyethylene is a large molecule formed by the addition polymerization of ethylene monomers, resulting in a long chain of repeating ethylene units. Therefore, n-decane is not considered a polymer, whereas polyethylene is.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the molecular structure of n-decane

n-Decane is an alkane hydrocarbon with the molecular formula \(\mathrm{CH}_{3}(\mathrm{CH}_{2})_{8}\mathrm{CH}_{3}\). It consists of a linear chain of 10 carbon atoms (\(C\)) and 22 hydrogen atoms (\(H\)). The molecular structure is as follows: H H H H H H H H H H | | | | | | | | | | C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C | | | | | | | | | | H H H H H H H H H H
02

Understanding the molecular structure of polyethylene

Polyethylene is a polymer with repeating ethylene units. Ethylene has the molecular formula \(\mathrm{C}_{2}\mathrm{H}_{4}\) and its structure is as follows: H H | | C=C | | H H In polyethylene, the double bond between the carbon atoms in ethylene is broken, and the ethylene units link together to form a long chain. The molecular structure of polyethylene is represented as \((\mathrm{C}_{2}\mathrm{H}_{4})_{n}\), where n is the number of repeating units.
03

Understanding the concept of polymers

Polymers are large molecules formed by the combination of smaller, repeating units called monomers. The process by which monomers link together to form a polymer is called polymerization. There are two main types of polymerization: addition (chain-growth) polymerization and condensation (step-growth) polymerization. Polyethylene, for example, is formed by the addition polymerization of ethylene monomers. The double bond between the carbon atoms in the ethylene monomer is broken, and the ethylene units join together in a long chain, creating a polymer.
04

Explaining the distinction between n-decane and polyethylene

The distinction between n-decane and polyethylene lies in their molecular structures and whether they are comprised of repeating monomeric units. n-Decane is a simple hydrocarbon formed of a linear chain of 10 carbon and 22 hydrogen atoms and does not consist of any repeating monomeric units. Polyethylene, on the other hand, is a large molecule formed by the addition polymerization of ethylene monomers, resulting in a long chain of repeating ethylene units. As a result, n-decane is not considered a polymer, whereas polyethylene is, because only polyethylene is made up of repeating monomeric units joined together through a polymerization process.

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