CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different.

Coursebook answers
Chapter 28
Exam-style questions
1 a polymer formed when many b i HOCH2CH2COOH [1]
monomers combine, with the ii O O
simultaneous elimination of many
O CH2 CH2 C O CH2 CH2 C
small molecules (e.g. water) [2]
b i s mall molecule that combines
with other monomer molecules to correct chain structure [1]
form a polymer [1] brackets round repeat unit [1]
ii O O iii ester [1]
C C NH NH iv dipole–dipole [1]
[Total: 10]
n
4 a i O O
correct chain structure [1]
O O C C
correct brackets [1]
iii polyamide [1]  [1]
c extensive / very many hydrogen bonds [1] ii
OH OH  [1]
between the >C═O and —NH groups [1]
on neighbouring / linear polymer O O
chains [1]
HO C C OH
[Total: 9]  [1]
2 a a diol; [1] b i O
a dicarboxylic acid [1]
O C
b correct repeat unit [1]
with ester linkage [1]  [1]
[Total: 4] ii O

3 a i 2 -aminoethanoic acid / HO C OH
aminoethanoic acid [1]
ii O O
cyclic alkane portion of molecule [1]
—OH and —COOH groups [1]
NH CH2 C NH CH2 C
c i H Cl

correct chain structure [1] C C

brackets round repeat unit [1]
H H  [1]
iii amide / peptide [1]
iv hydrogen bonding [1]

1 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry © Cambridge University Press 2020

 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

ii H Cl c Disposable packaging; [1]

Cl
or C C it is biodegradable so does not take up
space in landfill sites. [1]
H H [1]
Medical sutures and bandages; [1]
d i O CH3 O
the product of biodegradation is
C CH C NH C6H4 NH natural / non-toxic. [1]
[1] [Total: 9]

ii O CH3 O

HO C CH C OH [1]
H2N—C6H4—NH2 [1]
e i

C C

H H  [1]
ii
H

C C or CH2 CH  [1]

H H
[Total: 13]
5 a i O O  [1]
C O C O

ii ester link [1]

iii dipole–dipole attraction [1]
b i O O O O
NH NH C C NH NH C C
 [1]
ii amide link [1]
iii hydrogen bonding [1]
[Total: 6]
6 a A substance is biodegradable if it is
broken down in the environment; [1]
by living organisms / microorganisms. [1]
b Biodegradable polymers will not
persist in the environment; [1]
less litter; [1]
no problems with disposal, e.g.
burning / landfill. [1]

2 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry © Cambridge University Press 2020