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The WebWare molecules of the month are amylose and polystyrene, which are examined in JCE Classroom Activity #57: "Pondering Packing Peanuts Polymers". In the activity, students investigate polymers and their chemical composition. The structures below show several repeating units of the two polymers. The helical, 50-unit amylose shows the structure that complexes with iodine to produce the blue charge-transfer complex in the starch—iodine test. Fully manipulable (Chime) versions of these and other molecules are available at Only@JCE Online. 
Figure 1. Amylose (10 units). Interactive Chime-based structure (top); static structure graphic (bottom)


Figure 2. Amylose (50 units). Interactive Chime-based structure (top); static structure graphic, lateral (middle); static structure graphic, axial (bottom)


Figure 3. Polystyrene (12 units). Interactive Chime-based structure (top); static structure graphic, lateral (middle); static structure graphic, axial (bottom)
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