Overview/Checklist

Overview

Up until this point, we have largely been focused on understanding the molecular scale structure and reactivity of polymers. Now, let’s think bigger – how do those polymer behave when you dissolve them in solution? No molecule exists in isolation, so we must consider how polymers interact with other polymers as well as solvent. And, perhaps even before getting to that point, we need to think about the conformations the polymer can adopt in the first place – is it coiled? Is it elongated? Is the polymer flexible, or is it stiff? In Lesson 9, we will address the concept of polymer conformations and discuss ways in which we can represent the “size” of a polymer and how stiff it is. These concepts will be important for characterizing and representing the behavior of a polymer in solution, the thermodynamics of which will be covered in Lesson 10.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Calculate contour length and fully extended end to end distance
• Calculate root mean square end to end distance using freely jointed chain, valence angle model, and hindered rotation model
• Predict which polymers will be more sterically hindered to ration than others
• Describe chain stiffness using the characteristic ratio

Lesson Checklist

Please refer to the Canvas Calendar for specific timeframes.

Questions?

If you have questions, please feel free to post them to the General Questions and Discussion forum. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help a classmate.