Chain boundary ($B_n(C)=\mathrm{im}{\partial }_{n+1}$)

An element of a chain group is a boundary when it is the image of a higher-degree element under the boundary operator. Since ${\partial }^2=0$, every boundary is a chain cycle. Thus $H_n(C)=Z_n(C)/B_n(C)$, and a chain cycle represents zero in homology exactly when it is a boundary.