A polymer is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits called monomers. The term "polymer" comes from the Greek words for "many parts". Polymers can be natural or synthetic and have a broad spectrum of properties that make them essential and ubiquitous in everyday life. They make up many of the materials in living organisms, including proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids, and constitute the basis of such minerals as diamond, quartz, and feldspar and such man-made materials as concrete, glass, paper, plastics, and rubbers.
Polymers can be classified based on their structure, behavior, and applications. They can be linear, cross-linked, branched, network, or a mixture of some or all of these structures. Polymers can also be classified based on their functional groups, such as addition, condensation, and copolymerization.
In summary, a polymer is a large molecule or macromolecule made up of many repeating subunits called monomers. They have a broad spectrum of properties and are essential in everyday life. Polymers can be natural or synthetic and can be classified based on their structure, behavior, and applications.
