A commonly used definition of polymer is a material that is composed of many monomers (from 10s to 1000s) all linked together to form chains. A monomer can be composed of one to many atoms which form the base unit which is repeated to form a polymer, as represented in the figure below.
Polymers range from familiar synthetic plastics such as polystyrene to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are fundamental to biological structure and function. Polymers, both natural and synthetic, are created via polymerization of many small molecules, known as monomers.
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polymer, any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers.
A polymer is a chemical compound with molecules bonded together in long, repeating chains. Because of their structure, polymers have unique properties that can be tailored for different uses.
A polymer is a term used for large chemical compounds with several subunits. These subunits are also known as monomers, and they are linked to each other in long recurring chains.
A polymer is a chemical substance made from repeating monomer units linked into long chains or networks. Polymers occur naturally, such as DNA, which forms from four linked nucleic acids (adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine), and they can also be manufactured, as in plastics like nylon.
Polymers are either natural or synthetic macromolecules composed of many repeating units (monomers) usually arranged in the form of a chain. Examples of polymers are silk, rubber, silicone, DNA...