Properties of polymers

Different materials have different properties, and each material is carefully chosen to match the needs of the job it is performing. Ceramics, composites and polymers are some materials that are a key part of the 11–14 curriculum.

Use this Powerpoint presentation with accompanying teacher notes in your classroom for a pre-prepared lesson on polymers and how they are formed. Get students to remember the difference between an element, compound and mixture in the starter activity, then use Molymod kits to help explain monomers, dimers, trimers and polymerisation. Finally, get students to reflect on the properties of materials made from polymers, such as plastics, and test their knowledge with a ready-to-use Quizlet retrieval quiz.

Use this resource alongside the Education in Chemistry article ‘How to teach materials’.