Hello, young chemists! 🧪 Today, we're going to explore the fascinating world of polymerization and how monomers can bond together to create some incredible things!

Polymerization is the process where small molecules called monomers join together to form a big molecule, known as a polymer. There are many ways to polymerize, but today, we'll focus on condensation polymerization.

Condensation polymerization occurs when monomers react with each other, lose a small molecule (like water), and form a polymer. It’s kind of like a puzzle, where each piece finds its perfect fit and joins together.

Sometimes, a monomer has two different functional groups (chemical groups that define its properties) at its ends. When this happens, the monomer can react with itself, leading to condensation polymerization.

For instance, 3-hydroxy pentanoic acid has a hydroxyl group (-OH) on one end and a carboxyl group (-COOH) on the other. It's like a Lego piece with different connectors on each side, allowing it to connect with other similar monomers to form a polymer.