freely jointed chain

in polymers
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.F02517
A hypothetical @L03546@ molecule consisting of infinitely thin rectilinear segments uniform in length; each segment can take all orientations in space with equal @P04855@, independently of its neighbours. For models in which the segments are not all uniform in length, the name 'random-walk chain' has been used.
Source:
Purple Book, 1st ed., p. 50 [Terms] [Book]
Cite as: IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997). Online version (2019-) created by S. J. Chalk. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
Div. IVPDFTextJSONHistory
Last revised: February 24, 2014