How are polymers made?

How are polymers made?

• A. Polymers are formed by dissolving raw materials in water
• B. Polymers are extracted from mineral ores
• C. Polymers are distilled from crude oil by fractional distillation and cracking
• D. Polymers are produced by electroplating plastics onto metal

Answer: (C)

Polymers are long-chain molecules built from small units called monomers, and most are sourced from petrochemicals derived from crude oil. The crude oil is first separated into fractions by fractional distillation, and those larger molecules are then cracked (often via steam cracking) to produce smaller, reactive monomers such as ethylene and propylene. These monomers then polymerize to form polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene. This route from crude oil through distillation and cracking to monomers and then polymerization is what makes polymers. The other options don’t fit because dissolving in water doesn’t create long chains, minerals aren’t the typical source of polymer building blocks, and electroplating is a coating process, not how polymers are made.

Polymers are long-chain molecules built from small units called monomers, and most are sourced from petrochemicals derived from crude oil. The crude oil is first separated into fractions by fractional distillation, and those larger molecules are then cracked (often via steam cracking) to produce smaller, reactive monomers such as ethylene and propylene. These monomers then polymerize to form polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene. This route from crude oil through distillation and cracking to monomers and then polymerization is what makes polymers. The other options don’t fit because dissolving in water doesn’t create long chains, minerals aren’t the typical source of polymer building blocks, and electroplating is a coating process, not how polymers are made.