ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Elastomer

An elastomer is a special kind of material that can stretch and bend like a rubber band. Have you ever played with a rubber band and stretched it out like a slingshot? That's kind of what an elastomer can do too! This material is very stretchy and flexible, so it can be used in lots of different ways.

When we talk about elastomers, we might be talking about things like gaskets or seals that help keep two parts of something together. Or we might be talking about things like tires or shoe soles, which need to be really stretchy so they can move with your feet or your car.

Some of the things that make elastomers so special are the tiny chains of atoms that make up their structure. These chains are called polymers, and they give elastomers their stretchy, rubbery properties. Plus, because elastomers can be made from different combinations of polymers, we can create materials that have different stretchiness, hardness, or other properties.

So, in short, an elastomer is a bendy, stretchy material that can be used in lots of different ways. It's made up of tiny chains of atoms called polymers, which give it its special properties.
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