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1. What family of polymers includes the nylon of Wallace Carothers, the polypeptides of Linneaus Dorman, and the aramids of Stephanie Kwolek?

2. Nylon polymer molecules are flexible chains, but aramid polymer molecules are rigid and rod-like. How does this characteristic make the physical properties of nylon different from those of aramids?

3. Rank three kinds of polymeric material from the least stiff to the most stiff.
   a) plastic, rubber, fiber
   b) fiber, rubber, plastic
   c) rubber, plastic, fiber
   d) rubber, fiber, plastic
   

4. Wallace Carothers proved that macromolecules could exist, but his work did not prove that natural polymers were macromolecules. Why not?

5. In what ways did Stephanie Kwolek and Linneaus Dorman build on the research of Wallace Carothers?

6. When plastics are recycled, they are usually melted and remolded into new shapes. Knowing what you know about melting, do you think it would be easy or hard to recycle a crosslinked polymer?

7. Given what you know about nylon 6, why should you be careful what you write in a laboratory notebook?

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