Ethene may be converted into poly(ethene) - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 1 - 2001 - Paper 1

The conversion of ethene to poly(ethene) is a process known as polymerisation. In this reaction, small ethene molecules, also known as monomers, chemically bond together to form a larger polymer chain.

Polymerisation can be classified broadly into two types: addition polymerisation and condensation polymerisation. In this case, the reaction of ethene involves addition polymerisation, where the double bond in ethene opens up to link multiple ethene units together without the formation of any by-products.

Thus, the correct answer to the question is (D) Polymerisation.