  We study the forced rupture of adhesive contacts between monomers that are
not covalently linked in a Rouse chain. When the applied force ($f$) to the
chain end is less than the critical force for rupture ($f_c$), the {\it
reversible} rupture process is coupled to the internal Rouse modes. If
$f/f_{c}$$>$1 the rupture is {\it irreversible}. In both limits, the
non-exponential distribution of contact lifetimes, which depends sensitively on
the location of the contact, follows the double-exponential (Gumbel)
distribution. When two contacts are well separated along the chain, the rate
limiting step in the {\it sequential} rupture kinetics is the disruption of the
contact that is in the chain interior. If the two contacts are close to each
other, they cooperate to sustain the stress, which results in an
``all-or-none'' transition.
