Nylon

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nylon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Nylon?1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont
2. What is the chemical structure?Characterized by repeating units linked by amide linkages
3. What is the primary monomers for nylon-6,6?Hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid
4. How did scientists create nylon?In the 1930s, Wallace Carothers and his team at DuPont mixed chemicals called hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid to make nylon‑6,6. They discovered that the chemicals could join together and form long, strong chains.
5. Why is nylon so strong and tough?Nylon has special bonds called amide linkages that hold the molecules together tightly. These bonds give nylon its strength, resistance to wear, and ability to stay strong even when heated.

Condensation Polymerization: A chemical reaction where monomers link, forming a polymer and releasing a small molecule like water.
Amide Linkage: The functional group (-CO-NH-) that forms the backbone of nylon polymers.
Thermoplastic: A type of plastic that softens when heated and hardens when cooled, allowing it to be reshaped.
Monomer: A small molecule that can chemically bond with other monomers to form a polymer.