In this game, the students are monomers that join together to form linear polymers.
Polymers are chemical compounds with molecules bonded together in long, repeating monomer chains. Because of their structure, polymers have unique properties that can be tailored for different uses.
Polymers are both man-made and naturally occurring. Rubber, for example, is a natural polymeric material that has been used for thousands of years. It has excellent elastic qualities, the result of a molecular polymer chain created by nature. Man made synthetic polymers can be pliable, while others are permanently rigid. Still others have rubber-like properties or resemble plant or animal fibers. These materials are found in all sorts of products, from swimsuits to cooking pans.
This altered game of tag should help students understand how molecules behave in a polymerization reaction.
