An ideal chain (or freely-jointed chain) is the simplest model to describe a polymer. It only assumes a polymer as a random walk and neglects any kind of interactions among monomers. Although it is simple, its generality gives us some insights about the physics of polymers.
In this model, monomers are rigid rods of a fixed length l, and their orientation is completely independent of the orientations and positions of neighbouring monomers, to the extent that two monomers can co-exist at the same place.
Read more about Ideal Chain: The Model, Generality of The Model, Entropic Elasticity of An Ideal Chain
Famous quotes containing the words ideal and/or chain:
“As to the family, I have never understood how that fits in with the other ideals—or, indeed, why it should be an ideal at all. A group of closely related persons living under one roof; it is a convenience, often a necessity, sometimes a pleasure, sometimes the reverse; but who first exalted it as admirable, an almost religious ideal?”
—Rose Macaulay (1881–1958)
“A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain.”
—William James (1842–1910)