I am having a hard time understanding the tension force, especially when thinking about it at a molecular level.
Suppose I have a rope attached to a block which is sitting on frictionless surface. When I pull the rope, the molecular bonds in the rope get stretched. As a result, they try to restore (go back to "normal" position). Does this restoration pull me back or does it pull the other molecular bonds in the rope all the way to the block, until it pulls the block? or both. If the rope does pull me back, it can't be with the same force I pulled it, right? Otherwise the block would not move at all. Also, if the rope pulls the block, does the block pull the rope back too?
Is it fair to say: The person pulls the rope to the right, and the rope pulls the person to the left. The rope pulls the block to the right and the block pulls the rope to the left.
Can anyone help me understand that?
Thank you!