1. Of the three polymer types, which one is the most important commercially?

(a) thermoplastics, (b) thermosets, or (c) elastomers.

Answer. (a)

2. Which one of the three polymer types is not normally considered to be a

plastic? (a) thermoplastics,
(b) thermosets, or (c) elastomers.

Answer. (c)

3. Which one of the three polymer types does not involve cross- linking? (a)
thermoplastics, (b)
thermosets, or (c) elastomers.

Answer. (a)

4. As the degree of crystallinity in a given polymer increases, the polymer

becomes denser and stiffer,
and its melting temperature decreases: (a) true or (b) false.

Answer. (b) Melting temperature increases with higher degree of crystallinity.

5. Which of the following is the chemical formula for the repeating unit in
polyethylene? (a) CH2, (b)C2H4, (c) C3H6, (d) C5H8, or (e) C8H8.

Answer. (b)

6. Degree of polymerization is which one of the following? (a) average number of

mers in the molecule chain; (b) proportion of the monomer that has been
polymerized; (c) sum of the molecule weights of the mers in the molecule; or
(d) none of the above.

Answer. (a)

7. A branched molecular structure is stronger in the solid state and more viscous
in the molten state
than a linear structure for the same polymer: (a) true or (b) false.

Answer. (a)

8. Which one of the three polymer types does not involve cross- linking? (a)
thermoplastics, (b)
thermosets, or (c) elastomers.

Answer. (a)

9 As the degree of crystallinity in a given polymer increases, the polymer

becomes denser and stiffer,
and its melting temperature decreases: (a) true or (b) false. Answer. (b)
Melting temperature increases with higher degree of crystallinity.
10 Which of the following is the chemical formula for the repeating unit in
polyethylene? (a) CH2, (b)C2H4, (c) C3H6, (d) C5H8, or (e) C8H8.

Answer. (b)

11. Degree of polymerization is which one of the following? (a) average number
of mers in the molecule chain; (b) proportion of the monomer that has been
polymerized; (c) sum of the molecule weights of the mers in the molecule; or
(d) none of the above.

Answer. (a)

12. A branched molecular structure is stronger in the solid state and more
viscous in the molten state
than a linear structure for the same polymer: (a) true or (b) false.

Answer. (a)

13. A copolymer is a mixture consisting of macromolecules of two different

homopolymers: (a) true or (b) false.

Answer. (b)

14. As temperature of a polymer increases, its density (a) increases, (b)

decreases, or (c) remains fairly constant.

Answer. (b)

15. Which answers complete the following sentence correctly (more than one):
As the temperature of an amorphous thermoplastic polymer is gradually
reduced, the glass transition temperature Tg is indicated when (a) the polymer
transforms to a crystalline structure, (b) the coefficient of thermal expansion
increases markedly, (c) the slope of specific volume versus temperature changes
markedly, (d) the polymer becomes stiff, strong, and elastic, or (e) the polymer
solidifies from the molten state.

Answer. (c) and (d).

16. Which of the following plastics has the highest market share? (a) phenolics,
(b) polyethylene, (c)
polypropylene, (d) polystyrene, or (e) polyvinylchloride.

Answer. (b)

17. Which of the following polymers are normally thermoplastic (more than
one): (a) acrylics, (b)
cellulose acetate, (c) nylon, (d) polychloroprene, (e) polyethylene, or (f)
polyurethane.

Answer. (a), (b), (c), and (e).

18. Polystyrene (without plasticizers) is amorphous, transparent, and brittle: (a)
true or (b) false.

Answer. (a)

19. The fiber rayon used in textiles is based on which of the following polymers:
(a) cellulose, (b) nylon,
(c) polyester, (d) polyethylene, or (e) polypropylene.

Answer. (a)

20. The basic difference between low density polyethylene and high density
polyethylene is that the
latter has a much higher degree of crystallinity: (a) true or (b) false.

Answer. (a)

21. Among the thermosetting polymers, the most widely used commercially is
which of the following:
(a) epoxies, (b) phenolics, (c) silicones, or (d) urethanes.

Answer. (b)

22. Polyurethanes can be which of the following (more than one): (a)
thermoplastic, (b) thermosetting, or (c) elastomeric.

Answer. (a), (b), and (c).

23. The chemical formula for polyisoprene in natural rubber is which of the
following: (a) CH2, (b) C2H4, (c) C3H6, (d) C5H8, or (e) C8H8.

Answer. (d)

24. The leading commercial synthetic rubber is which of the following: (a) butyl
rubber, (b) isoprene rubber, (c) polybutadiene, (d) polyurethane, (e) styrene-
butadiene rubber, or (f) thermoplastic elastomers.

Answer. (e)

25. Anisotropic means which one of the following: (a) composite materials with
composition consisting of more than two materials, (b) properties are the same
in every direction, (c) properties vary depending on the direction in which they
are measured, or (d) strength and other properties as a function of curing
temperature.

Answer. (c)

26. The reinforcing phase is the matrix within which the secondary phase is
imbedded: (a) true or (b)
false. Answer. (b)
General Properties of Polymers

Low Density
Good Strength to Weight Ratios
High Corrosion resistance
Low Thermal and Electrical Conductivity

Limitations of Polymers

Low Strength (Relative to Ceramics and Metals)

Low Modulus of Elasticity (Stiffness)
Survive temperatures are limited to only a few hundred degrees
Some polymers degrade when subjected to sunlight and other forms of radiation