Question

Synthetic polymer among the following is:
(A) protein
(B) plastic
(C) starch
(D) cellulose
(E) nucleic acid

Answer 1

The polymer that is not found in nature can be considered as synthetic polymer. Write down the monomers of the above polymers given in the options. Now identify the monomers as natural or synthetic. The polymer whose monomers are synthetic, is also synthetic in nature. Thus, that will be the synthetic polymer as well as the correct answer to the question.

Complete step by step answer:
Polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form long polymer chains.
In chemical compounds, polymerization can occur by various types of reaction mechanisms that vary in complexity due to the functional groups present in the reactants and the steric effects that are present.
Among the given options, the synthetic polymer is plastic. This is because plastic is not found in nature on its own and is a man-made product. Thus, the correct answer is option (B).
Additional information: Alkanes are polymerized, with the help of strong mineral acids.
The two main classes of polymerisation reaction mechanisms are step-growth and chain growth polymerisation.
In step-growth polymerisation, the pairs of reactants combine at each step to form a longer polymer chain. The average molar mass increases slowly, long chains are formed only at the end of the reaction.
However, in case of chain growth polymerisation the addition of monomer to the growing chain with active centre (like free radical, cation, anion) is the chain extension step. Long chains are formed from the starting of the reaction only.
So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note: It is important to know that plastics play a crucial role in our lives as they are lightweight, durable and easy to produce. However, the increased use of plastic takes a toll on nature. This is because plastics take a long time to decompose and are generally considered non-biodegradable.