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Polymerisation of Ethene.

The double bond in an alkene (like ethene)
can be broken open and joined to other molecules.

A molecule of ethene can be joined to another molecule of ethene.
In the process, the second ethene molecule has its double bond broken,
and this may be added to a third molecule of ethene, and so on.
Many ethene molecules can be joined together to form a polymer.
The polymer is called poly(ethene) because it is made from ethene.
This is an example of addition polymerisation.

Poly(ethene) is commonly called polythene.
Polythene is an ICI trademark for poly(ethene).

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