Chains of Molecules

A polymer is a large molecule made of repeating smaller units called monomers, linked together in a chain. The word comes from Greek: poly (many) + meros (parts).

Polymers are everywhere in nature. Cellulose is a polymer of glucose, proteins are polymers of amino acids, and DNA is a polymer of nucleotides. Humans did not invent the concept — we figured out how to make synthetic versions, and then we could not stop.