chain

In algebraic topology, a -chain is a formal linear combination of the -cells in a cell complex. In simplicial complexes (respectively, cubical complexes), -chains are combinations of -simplices (respectively, -cubes), but not necessarily connected. Chains are used in homology; the elements of a homology group are equivalence classes of chains. Definition For a simplicial complex , the group of -chains of is given by: where are singular -simplices of . that any element in not necessary to be a connected simplicial complex.