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Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Materials
Chapter 12, Problem 83

State whether each of these numbers is a reasonable value for a polymer’s molecular weight: 100 amu, 10,000 amu, 100,000 amu, 1,000,000 amu.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of molecular weight for polymers. Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating structural units, and their molecular weights can vary widely depending on the number of repeating units.
Step 2: Consider the typical range of molecular weights for polymers. Polymers can have molecular weights ranging from a few thousand to several million atomic mass units (amu).
Step 3: Evaluate the given molecular weights one by one. Start with 100 amu and consider if it falls within the typical range for polymers.
Step 4: Continue evaluating the next molecular weight, 10,000 amu, and determine if it is a reasonable value for a polymer's molecular weight.
Step 5: Repeat the evaluation process for 100,000 amu and 1,000,000 amu, considering whether each value is within the expected range for polymer molecular weights.