[pauljohn]

monomers are described as,

"simple molecules that can link with other monomers to form polymers" ;

how simple does a molecule have to be to be labelled 'simple'?

how large does a molecule have to be to be a macromolecule?

The OED describes monomers as organic substances; are monomers always organic? do they always contain carbon?

[ARGOS++]

Dear pauljohn;

There is a list of several Polymers, where you may inspect the corresponding simple Monomer too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic#Common_plastics_and_uses

There is not a fix lower limit, when the term Polymer is indicated.
Remember too:  Oligomer starts from 2 till a few times 10.

I hope to have been of help to you.
Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

[pauljohn]

thanks argos.  so, styrene is the monomer that links to make the polymer polystyrene?  and ester is the monomer that links to make the polymer polyester?

and an oligomer (olig = few) is somewhere between a monomer (one) and a polymer (many)?

one last question;

do monomers have to link to other identical monomers to form polymers?

[ARGOS++]

Dear pauljohn;

In a certain number of cases you can only add some monomer (of same or other kind) to grow the chains; or you add a bi-functional monomer to stick oligomers together. So you have also the possibility to design mixed polymer chains to control their phys. properties.

Think about: Each polymer has to start, when the first two monomers link/stick together, so also two different monomers (not of all kind) can start to link.

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺