Which mechanism determines the melting temperature of a polymer held under constant atmospheric pressure?

💡 Explanation

When a polymer is heated, overcoming the intermolecular forces is required for transitioning into liquid state from the solid. Van der Waals forces are a significant intermolecular force between polymer chains and determine melting point. Therefore van der Waals forces determine melt temperature, rather than covalent bonds (too strong), hydrogen bonds (minimal in non-polar polymers) or ionic bonding (weak presence).

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