Chain of Blocks

In Ethereum, a chain of blocks is a sequence of blocks that are cryptographically linked together, forming a blockchain. Each block in the chain contains a set of transactions, and the state of the Ethereum network is determined by the current state of all the transactions in the chain.

The chain of blocks in Ethereum is maintained by a network of nodes, each running an Ethereum client. Each node maintains a copy of the blockchain, and new blocks are added to the chain when they are validated and accepted by the network.

The chain of blocks in Ethereum is important because it provides a way to verify the validity of transactions and to prevent double-spending. Once a transaction is included in a block and added to the chain, it is considered to be confirmed and irreversible, making it a secure and reliable way to transfer value on the Ethereum network.

Visual

     Block 1           Block 2           Block 3           Block 4
 ______________   ______________   ______________   ______________
|   Previous   | |   Previous   | |   Previous   | |   Previous   |
|   Block      | |   Block      | |   Block      | |   Block      |
|   Hash       | |   Hash       | |   Hash       | |   Hash       |
|______________| |______________| |______________| |______________|
        |                |                |                |
      Data            Data            Data            Data

Each block contains data and a reference to the previous block's hash, forming a chain. The hash of each block is calculated based on the block's data and the previous block's hash. This makes the chain of blocks tamper-evident - any change to a block's data would change its hash and the hashes of all subsequent blocks. This makes it extremely difficult to modify the contents of a block without being detected, ensuring the integrity of the blockchain.