What is Chain: Definition and 976 Discussions

A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A chain may consist of two or more links. Chains can be classified by their design, which can be dictated by their use:

Those designed for lifting, such as when used with a hoist; for pulling; or for securing, such as with a bicycle lock, have links that are torus shaped, which make the chain flexible in two dimensions (the fixed third dimension being a chain's length). Small chains serving as jewellery are a mostly decorative analogue of such types.
Those designed for transferring power in machines have links designed to mesh with the teeth of the sprockets of the machine, and are flexible in only one dimension. They are known as roller chains, though there are also non-roller chains such as block chain.Two distinct chains can be connected using a quick link, carabiner, shackle, or clevis.
Load can be transferred from a chain to another object by a chain stopper

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. G

    How Do Forces Transmit Through a Chain When One Link is Disturbed?

    Folks, Imagine a chain, floating in a frictionless, weightless environment. Just like this: -------------------- where every "-" is link. If a force acts on just one link of the chain "Link0", causing it to buckle like this (and the force continues to act) ...
  2. R

    What is the Chain Rule and How Does it Apply to Tangent Functions?

    I was trying it but i got stuck. http://img56.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img56&image=scan7xv.jpg http://img28.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img28&image=scan30fn.jpg
  3. G

    Troubleshooting Battery Chain Circuit for Motor Operation

    Hello, I'm new here, and I need help with a problem. I'm sure there is a really easy answer to this, but I don't know what it is. I can't find it googling, probably because it is so obvious to everyone else. But I have a circuit, which requires multiple batteries to opperate. Too combine their...
  4. S

    Side Chain Oxidation: Toluene to Benzoic Acid

    Hello I had a few questions if anyone could help me out. I wanted to convert toluene into benzoic acid via side chain oxidation using potassium permanganate. However, I'm a little unsure of the mechanism. If I'm right, you convert toluene into benzyl alcohol using NaOH, and then from...
  5. FieryIce

    The Longest Crater Chain in Our Solar System, To-Date

    The longest crater chain, to date, was found on Mars. http://www.craterchains.com/gales/mars_compose.jpg Lat: 64.203 Lon: 10.921E...
  6. B

    Amino acids on their own vs in a polypeptide chain?

    Bio Help! what is the difference between amino acids on their own and amino acids that have been incorporated into a polypeptide chain? My answer is that amino acids on their on do nothing. However when they interact they create a protein which eventually takes on a particular function...
  7. P

    Frictionless cylinder yet chain wraps around it

    Could a chain wrap around a frictionless cylinder? My theory is that for a chain to wrap around a cylinder, there has to be a certain amount of friction.
  8. Z

    Combining product rule with chain rule

    Hey what's up, The problem is...find the derivative of: y= x^2 sec(x-5) My question is...Would I start off by using the product rule and combine the chain rule with it, with x-5 being the inner function and sec(u) being the outer function? thanks...
  9. Z

    Chain Rule for Quotients: Explained!

    Hey what's up, I had a question on the chain rule...How would I use the chain rule on a quotient...like if i have 1/(t^4 + 1)^3 , Would I use the quotient rule first, or just start with the chain rule?
  10. G

    Chain sliding off the edge of a table

    A uniform chain of length 8.00m initially lies stretched out on a horizontal table. a) If the coefficient of static friction between the chain and the table is 0.600, show that the chain will begin to slide off the table if at least 3.00m of it hangs over the edge of the table. b)...
  11. T

    Understanding the free-radical chain reactions

    I'm reviewing for a test and having a bit of trouble fully understanding the free-radical chain reactions and writing the mechanisms (initiation, propagation and termination) steps. For example, my book describes the mechanism for chlorination of methane and I just don't follow it very well...
  12. S

    How do I apply the product and chain rule to this equation?

    OK I have this problem dw/dt = w = r^2-s*tan(v) And it gives the following: r = sin^2(t) s = cos(t) v = 4t Soo...now Do i derive those still with respect to all those values? Or can i knock them all out in a line or two.
  13. M

    Solving Cone Volume Change with Chain Rule

    Does anyone know how to do this with chain rule? If a cone has height 1 m and radius 30 cm, and the height is increasing at a rate of 1 cm/s, whereas the radius is decreasing at a rate of 1 cm/s, what is the rate of change of the cones volume? Solve the problem using the chain rule...
  14. C

    Proving the Chain Rule: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Can someone give me hints on how to prove the chain rule? I want to be able to learn this. Let h(x)=f(g(x)), then h'(x)=\lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac {f(g(x+h))-f(g(x))}{h} But what now?
  15. P

    Finding Derivatives: Power Rule vs Chain Rule

    In finding a derivative of a value, how do you know whether when to use the power rule or the chain rule? can anyone please tell me?
  16. L

    Exploring the Mathematical Concept of the Roots Chain of Shadows

    Please look at the attached pdf http://www.geocities.com/complementarytheory/Roots-Chain.pdf . By this model we can see that √1 is the "shadow" of √2 and √2 is the "shadow" of √3. If we can conclude that √3 is the "shadow" of √4 ... and so on, then do you think that this "Chain of...
  17. E

    Exploring the Impact of Polypeptide Chain Conformation on Biological Functions

    how does the diff in shape of a polypeptide chain( alpha helix or beta pleated sheet) give rise to a diff in properties and functions? thanks for yr ans...
  18. A

    Do i just use the chain rule to differentiate 3^2x

    Do i just use the chain rule to differentiate 3^2x
  19. maverick280857

    Bicycle Type Chain [Mechanics] Problem

    Hi guys.. I am a new member of physicsforums.com (I am a science student at the pre-undergrad level). I am unable to solve a problem involving motion of a chain along a circular track, in classical mechanics. The problem is from an old book on mechanics. Please read the problem (below) and...
  20. K

    Related rate problems and the chain rule

    I'm having some trouble understanding why the chain rule comes into play in related rates problems. I'm able to follow the procedure outlined in the text and come up with the correct answer, but I'm not really comfortable moving on from a section until I understand why it works. The...
  21. M

    Calculating parabola of drooping chain

    Hi, I was giving a pub quiz type quesstion the other day, which I managed to solve without the use of formulae/mathematics, but it got me thinking about how to solve it mathematically too. Imagine a chain stretched between two posts, that then droops in the middle, and forms a natural...
  22. H

    Solving a Problem with Two Gear Wheels and a Chain

    Hi Ive been trying to solve the following problem: There are two gear wheels whose centers are separated by 25 cm. a chain is wrapped around the two wheels such that if one wheel is turned the other turns(much like a cycle chain.) If th radius of the wheels are 11cm & 4 cm respectively, find...
  23. B

    Partial derivatives + Chain rule

    I am having a hard time doing the following problems. First off all the notation is confusing the hell out of me. This is the first time i have used this notation so it is making learning very difficult. Here are my questions. Prove the following function is differentiable, and find the...
  24. A

    Force required to slash through chain or steel mail

    In addition to the question in https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12538 I have a few other queries related to combat. I've read that the it requires about 900-950 Newtons to shear an average iron nail. I'm wondering how much would be required to slash through chain or...
  25. N

    Antibody Heavy Chain Determination

    Dunno if anyone that reads these boards has a background with Immunology, but here goes. As far as I understand it, heavy chain isotypes can switch on any given mature B cell due to the presence of Switch regions at the 3' of any isotype gene exon. This is regulated largely by cytokines that...
  26. P

    Chain rule in Calc = Chain in Log?

    I know in Logarithms loga b * logc d = loga d * logc b and loga b * logb c = loga c. Chain Rule. Now I read Calculus, I found out about the Chain rule, are they the same?? Looks like it. But because of my poor English reading, I couldn't understand the text. Can some one explain what...
Back
Top