Lesson 3.3.12.2

3.3.12.2 Biodegradability and disposal of polymers Quiz: AQA Chemistry, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.3.12.2, Biodegradability and disposal of polymers: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Chemistry (7405), Unit 3: Organic chemistry, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. How are polyesters and polyamides broken down in the environment?

    • By reduction with hydrogen gas over a nickel catalyst, which removes the ester links
    • By hydrolysis of their ester or amide linkages
    • By polymerisation into larger chains through free-radical addition of the monomers
    • By oxidation to carbon dioxide only, which leaves no solid residue in the soil

  2. Which is a key advantage of recycling polymers?

    • It increases the amount of fossil fuel needed, because the plastic must be remade each time
    • It removes the need for any sorting of waste, so every item can be processed together
    • It always produces a more toxic product, which is why it is avoided by most councils
    • It conserves raw materials and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill

  3. What is a disadvantage of disposing of polymers in landfill sites?

    • Landfill converts polymers into metal ions that dissolve into groundwater supplies
    • Landfill releases oxygen into the atmosphere, which speeds up the breakdown of waste
    • Non-biodegradable polymers take up space and persist for a very long time
    • Landfill removes all carbon from the polymer, leaving only inert mineral residue behind

  4. Which disposal method may release toxic gases such as hydrogen chloride from some polymers?

    • Incineration
    • Recycling
    • Anaerobic digestion
    • Composting

  5. Why can polyesters be hydrolysed while polyalkenes cannot?

    • Polyesters contain only C=C double bonds, which react readily with water in soil and sunlight
    • Polyalkenes contain ester linkages that are unreactive, so water cannot break them down in soil
    • Polyesters contain ester linkages that water can attack, while polyalkene C-C bonds are not attacked by water
    • Polyesters contain only C=C double bonds that react with water, while polyalkenes have ester links

  6. Which factor makes polyalkenes chemically resistant to breakdown?

    • Ionic bonds between the monomer units
    • Strong, non-polar C-C and C-H bonds in the backbone
    • Weak hydrogen bonds between the chains
    • Easily hydrolysed ester groups along the chain

  7. What is the product of hydrolysing nylon 6,6 completely?

    • Propane-1,2,3-triol and sodium ethanoate
    • Hexanedioic acid and 1,6-diaminohexane
    • Ethene and propene
    • Ethane-1,2-diol and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid

  8. Which bond is broken when a polyamide is hydrolysed?

    • The C-C bond in the backbone
    • The C-H bond on the chain
    • The amide C(=O)-N bond
    • The C=C double bond in the chain

  9. Which statement about biodegradable polymers is correct?

    • They are unaffected by water and sunlight at all times, so they never degrade
    • They can only be broken down in a laboratory furnace at very high temperature
    • They are broken down by microorganisms or environmental hydrolysis into smaller molecules
    • They cannot be hydrolysed because they contain no bonds that water could attack

  10. Which disposal method best balances resource use and environmental impact for polyesters?

    • Storing in sealed containers for ever, which avoids any environmental release at all
    • Recycling, possibly by hydrolysis back to monomers
    • Dumping in the sea without any treatment, which is the cheapest way to dispose of it
    • Burning without energy recovery, which releases the gases straight into the air

  11. Which polymer would be expected to break down by hydrolysis in damp soil?

    • Polystyrene
    • Polyethene
    • Polyester
    • Polypropene

  12. Why is hydrolysing polyester back to its monomers useful for recycling?

    • Hydrolysis removes all carbon from the polymer
    • The monomers are impossible to purify
    • The monomers are always toxic and must be burned
    • The monomers can be reused to make new polymer

  13. Which statement about addition polymers and disposal is correct?

    • Addition polymers readily hydrolyse in water at room temperature
    • Addition polymers can only be disposed of by fermentation
    • Addition polymers are always made from amino acids
    • Most addition polymers are non-biodegradable and persist in the environment

  14. Which product forms when Terylene is fully hydrolysed?

    • Hexanedioic acid and 1,6-diaminohexane, which are the monomers of nylon 6,6 polymer
    • Propanoic acid and ethanol, which are the products of hydrolysing a simple ester
    • Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid and ethane-1,2-diol
    • Ethene and oxygen, which are the products of burning a polyalkene in excess air

  15. What is a disadvantage of recycling mixed plastics?

    • Recycling always increases the amount of landfill waste that must be collected
    • Recycling removes all ester groups from the plastic, leaving a useless residue behind
    • Mixed plastics cannot be heated at all, so they must always go to landfill instead
    • The different polymers must be sorted, and contamination can reduce the quality of the recycled product

  16. Which disposal method recovers energy from polymer waste?

    • Incineration with energy recovery
    • Landfill with no treatment, which keeps the waste compact but releases leachate
    • Dumping in rivers, which is an easy but harmful way of removing the waste from sight
    • Storage in open ponds, which allows the polymer to weather and break down slowly

  17. What is the main advantage of incineration of polymer waste?

    • It recovers energy from the waste
    • It makes all polymers biodegradable
    • It produces no gases at all
    • It returns the monomers to their original form

  18. Which statement about biodegradability is INCORRECT?

    • Polyesters are biodegradable because they can be hydrolysed
    • Polyamides can be hydrolysed in the environment
    • Polyalkenes persist in landfill for long periods
    • Polyalkenes are biodegradable because they hydrolyse easily

  19. Which structural feature is the main factor that determines whether a polymer is biodegradable?

    • The presence of benzene rings in side chains, which give the polymer its rigidity
    • The presence of hydrolysable linkages such as ester or amide groups in the backbone
    • The number of carbon atoms in one monomer only, which sets the length of the chain
    • The colour of the polymer, which controls how fast it absorbs sunlight in the soil

  20. Which polymer gives only carbon dioxide and water on complete combustion?

    • Polyvinyl chloride, PVC, which releases hydrogen chloride and other harmful gases on burning
    • Polyethene with added chlorine, which gives hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide on burning
    • A polyester made only from C, H and O atoms
    • Nylon 6,6, which contains nitrogen and so gives toxic nitrogen oxides when burned in air

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