nomenclature

Nomenclature of carbon chains

Rules for the nomenclature, in this case for aliphatic hydrocarbons

Every Carbonic compound has a main name, based on the number of C atoms in the main chain:

Met..., et..., prop..., but..., pent..., hex..., hept..., oct..., non..., dec..., in general: alk...

on the dots appear suffixes:

ane: the main chain only has simple bonds.
ene: the main chain also has double bonds.
yne: the main chain also has triple bonds.
yl: this is used when talking about a branch, not a main chain.

Prefixes:
Hydroxy	an OH group connected to a Carbon chain
Alkoxy	A side chain (branch) connected via an O atom to the main chain (ether)
amino	a NH₂-group connected to the main chain.
nitro	a NO₂-group connected to the main chain
Suffixes:
ol	Just as in hydroxy: an OH-group at the main chain. The OH-group has thus two options for nomenclature.
al	an O atom is connected with a double bond to a primary C of the main chain
on	en O atom is connected with a double bond to a secondary C of the main chain
acid	means that a carboxylic group (COOH-) is connected to the main chain
(o)ate	The H of the carboxylic group was donated (and can be replaces by something else, or is negative) Could be the rest of an acid, but also an ester
ose	a combination of al or on with some ols

Amina = one or more Hydrogen atoms of ammonia were replaces by alkyl groups.

All before mentioned rules are also true for polymers; just the prefix 'poly' is needed extra.
That means nothing else than 'many'.
Polymers always are built up of small units, small molecules that - in large numbers - are connected to each other, and form the polymers.
Those small units are called 'monomers'. (mono = 1; poly = many)
In general we may say that the name of a polymer is simply the same name as that of the monomer, but with the prefix 'poly'.