HAZMAT Technician Practice Exam

Which of the following describes a polymer?

1. A small, simple chemical compound

2. A large chainlike molecule produced from monomers

3. An inorganic compound

4. A radioactive isotope

The correct answer is: A large chainlike molecule produced from monomers

A polymer is best described as a large chainlike molecule produced from monomers. This means that polymers are formed through a process called polymerization, where smaller units known as monomers bond together to create a larger and more complex structure. Polymers exhibit unique physical and chemical properties due to their size and structure, making them important in a wide array of applications, from plastics to biological substances like proteins and DNA. The chainlike nature of polymers allows them to possess varying degrees of flexibility, strength, and other characteristics depending on the arrangement and type of monomers involved in their formation. The other options do not accurately describe the nature of polymers. Small, simple chemical compounds refer to individual molecules without the complexity seen in polymers. Inorganic compounds are typically characterized by the absence of carbon-hydrogen bonds, which is not a defining feature of polymers. Radioactive isotopes pertain to unstable atomic variations that emit radiation, and they do not convey the concept of polymerization or the presence of monomers. Thus, the correct understanding of a polymer aligns with its definition as a large chainlike molecule resulting from the linkage of monomers.