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To help students' understanding of the polymerisation process. students cut out an alkene molecule and fold to show C=C. They then 'break' the C=C bond and join to all the other students' molecules to make a polymer paper chain. Chains can
I did a similar thing last christmas, but to make it more christmassy, we had rings of different colored paper to represent different elements, and joined them with shorter, narrower rings of white paper (1 for a single bond, 2 for a double). Everyone made a monomer, then we polymerised them to make long, christmassy paper chains which looked like normal to non-science folk, but to us trained chemists, they were even more beautiful! Took a bit of time to chop up paper strips though. But well worth it! (I must take a picture)
Used as end of term because everyone was tired. Cutting was a bit fiddly, but really helped with the concept of double bonds and my walls look great now :-)
It is simple, clear and different. Cutting may be a little difficult, but nothing that cannot be undone with a little imagination
Great activity! Will really help those who struggle with the polymer 'idea'