The atoms in a polymer molecule are linked together mainly by covalent bonds.

Quick Scoop

Short answer

In polymers, the monomer units are joined into long chains by strong covalent bonds between their atoms (for example, carbon–carbon or carbon–heteroatom bonds).

A bit more detail

  • Inside a single polymer chain, atoms form a backbone (often a carbon chain) held together by covalent bonds created through sharing electrons.
  • These covalent bonds make the chain itself quite strong and stable, which is why many polymers are tough and resistant to breaking along the chain.
  • Between different chains, there can also be weaker interactions like hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, but these are not the bonds that link the atoms within one polymer molecule.

If you imagine a polymer as a long necklace, the covalent bonds are like the solid wire of the chain itself, while the weaker forces between chains are more like gentle tangles between different necklaces.

TL;DR: The type of bond that links atoms together in a polymer molecule is a covalent bond.

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