Okay, can anyone please help with q17 c of the 2003 paper! (the one about the molecular weignts of polymers with the graph thing) I'm sorry if its really simply, but at this point i think i'm passed being embarresed ... i'm doomed!
alot of people got confused about this Q, and it mostly comes from mis-interpreting the picture. It is NOT a progressive graph, that is change over time, all its showing is the range of molecular weights that are produced. the peak would represent say, 300, showing that more 300 weight polymers are produced, where as on the extreme ends of the scale, say 1 and 1000, alot less are produced.
Knowing what tommy says this is approx how you would answer it.
The polymerisation of ethene is a process in which the termination of poly(ethene)* chains is essentialy random. As there is no efficient or effective way to control the size of the poly(ethene) molecules, nor is there a need to, a wide range of molecular weights will be observed. This molecular size is distributed along a left skewed bell graph with molecules more likely to be shorter then longer.
* And because of the chemistry making scheme need for formula's whereever you mention any chemical name even if there is no logical reason for it