How to teach polymers at post-16

Polymers, both natural and synthetic, are successful because they are extremely versatile materials with seemingly endless ways to adapt their properties by changing the monomers, branching the chains or by interacting with other substances. At the post-16 level, learners need to be clear about the distinction between addition and condensation polymerisation. They must be able to recognise the key features of an organic molecule that allow it to polymerise. Read this article for teaching strategies, common misconceptions to look out for and resources to help learners master monomers, polymers and their repeating units.