Editing Random coil (section)

{{Short description|Polymer conformation in which all bonded subunits are oriented randomly}}

In [[polymer chemistry]], a '''random coil''' is a [[Chemical structure|conformation]] of [[polymer]]s where the [[monomer]] subunits are oriented randomly while still being [[chemical bond|bonded]] to adjacent units. It is not one specific shape, but a [[statistical distribution]] of shapes for all the chains in a population of [[macromolecule]]s. The conformation's name is derived from the idea that, in the absence of specific, stabilizing interactions, a [[polymer backbone]] will "sample" all possible conformations randomly. Many [[Branching (polymer chemistry)|unbranched]], linear [[homopolymer]]s — in [[Solution (chemistry)|solution]], or above their [[glass transition temperature|melting temperature]]s — assume (approximate) random coils.