What Forces Are Behind the Resistance of Rubber Bands?

[pallidin]

OK, maybe this is an odd question, but here goes:

When I pull on a rubber band, is the force I "feel" the resistance to co-valent bond separation? Am I actually "feeling" electron forces?

 

[FZ+]

No. Covalent bonds are far, far too rigid for that.

The internal structure of the rubber is basically that of entangled 'fibres' of covalently bonded macromolecules, lying mostly side by side, attracted to each other by van der waals.

crappy Ascii diagram...

___________
  !    _!____
__!___/__!__
 !   /
_!__/

The resistance you feel comes from the van der waals intermolecular forces. It is electron forces, in a way.

EDIT: You have no idea how long it took me to do that diagram above.

 

[pallidin]

Originally posted by FZ+

The resistance you feel comes from the van der waals intermolecular forces. It is electron forces, in a way.

EDIT: You have no idea how long it took me to do that diagram above.

I appreciate your taking the time.
Above that, you have indicated that forces I feel are van der waals forces. Thank you. Perhaps a silly question but was presented in seriousness.