What is the polymer formed by polymerizing ethene?

• A. Polystyrene
• B. Polyethene (polyethylene)
• C. Polypropylene
• D. Polyvinyl chloride

Answer: (B)

Addition polymerization of ethene opens the carbon–carbon double bond and links many ethene molecules end to end to form a long chain. The repeating unit in the resulting polymer is –CH2–CH2–, so the polymer is polyethene (also called polyethylene). This is distinct from the other polymers listed: polystyrene comes from styrene, polypropylene from propene, and polyvinyl chloride from vinyl chloride, each with their own characteristic repeating units and side groups. So polymerizing ethene gives polyethene/polyethylene.