For 10 points—what compound used in agricultural mulch, grocery bags, and milk bottles is the simplest and most ubiquitous of polymers?
It was first observed in 1899 during the autodecomposition of diazomethane in ether. Karl Ziegler won the 1963 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for synthesizing a high-density linear version of this material. The low-density variety is produced at pressures of 350 megapascals in the presence of peroxide initiators, leading to a partly crystalline material. For 10 points—what compound used in agricultural mulch, grocery bags, and milk bottles is the simplest and most ubiquitous of polymers?
It was first observed in 1899 during the autodecomposition of diazomethane in ether.
{polyethylene} [accept {polymethylene} before “Karl” is read; prompt on {PE}; prompt on {polymer} before it is read]