Assertion:- Bakelite is harder than polythene.
Reason:- Bakelite is harder because it is a cross-linked polymer.
Assertion:- True
Reason:- True
Plastics are classified based on the type of arrangement of monomer units. In some cases, the arrangement is linear, whereas in others it is cross-linked.
Linear Polymers:- The polymers in which monomers units combine to form long straight chains.
Cross-linked polymers:- The polymers in which linear chains are joined together by cross-links to form three dimensional structure. These crosslinks are much stronger than the normal attraction between the monomers. This is the reason why cross-linked polymers are harder than linear polymers.
Bakelite is a cross-linked polymer while polythene is a linear polymer. So, bakelite is much harder than polythene.