what are polymers

Polymers are substances or materials consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits called monomers. The word polymer comes from the Greek words for "many parts". Polymers can be natural or synthetic and have a broad spectrum of properties, ranging from the familiar synthetic plastics such as polystyrene to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are fundamental to biological structure and function. Polymers are created via polymerization of many small molecules, known as monomers, and their large molecular mass produces unique physical properties including toughness, high elasticity, viscoelasticity, and a tendency to form. Some polymers are flexible, while others are very stiff. Polymers are used in almost every area of life, from the strand of our DNA to plastics used throughout the world.