Macromolecules, Macromolecules

polymer

A large molecule composed of repeating structural units or monomers.

monomer

A molecule of any compound that can react with other molecules of the same or different compound to form a polymer. Each biological macromolecule has characteristic monomers.

carbohydrate

A compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the approximate ratio of 1:2:1. Made of monosaccharides. (e.g., sugars, starches, and cellulose)

protein

Class of nutrients made up of amino acids. They are needed to build and repair body structures and regulate processes in the body. Contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. (e.g., )

lipid

An organic molecule made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and store food energy until needed (Fats)

nucleic acid

A biological macromolecule (DNA or RNA) composed of the elements C, H, N, O, and P that carries genetic information.

amino acid

Building blocks of protein

monosaccharide

A simple sugar that is the basic subunit of a carbohydrate

fatty acid

one components of a triglyceride

macromolecule

A very large molecule (as of a protein, nucleic acid, or carbohydrate) built up from smaller chemical structures

enzyme

A protein that makes a reaction happen QUICKER (catalyst); decreases activation energy of a reaction.

polysaccharide

a carbohydrate that is composed of many monosaccharide units joined together

glucose

A simple sugar that is the main source of energy for cells.

Carbon

important element that can make up to 4 bonds;essential to life

Triglyceride

The building blocks of lipids: made up of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol.

organic compound

a compound that always contains carbon

disaccharide

A molecule composed of two monosaccharides. Common disaccharides include maltose, sucrose, and lactose.

polysaccharide

A polymer of thousands of simple sugars formed by dehydration synthesis. a carbohydrate that is composed of many monosaccharide units joined together

monosaccharide

A simple sugar that is the basic subunit of a carbohydrate

saturated fat

contains single bonds; solid at room temperature; found in meat

unsaturated fat

contains at least one double bond throughout the chain; liquid at room temperature; found in vegetables, nuts, etc.

macromolecules

four main classes of large biological molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids)

polymer

large molecule formed when many smaller molecules bond together

monomer

a simple compound whose molecules can join together to form polymers

enzymes

proteins that act as biological catalysts

carbohydrates

compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body

starch

a complex carbohydrate found chiefly in plants

glycogen

an extensively branched glucose storage complex carbohydrate found in the liver and muscle of animals; the animal equivalent of starch

cellulose

complex carbohydrate consisting of glucose monomers that reinforces plant-cell walls, never branched and has beta linkages

lipids

energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, hydrophobic

fat

constructed from glycerol and fatty acids

fatty acids

monomers of lipids

steroids

lipids because they are hydrophobic (e.g. estrogen, testosterone, cholesterol)

cholesterol

A lipid that forms an essential component of animal cell membranes and acts as a precursor molecule for the synthesis of other biologically important steroids.

catalysts

substance that speeds up a chemical reaction but is not used up itself or permanently changed

proteins

contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. source of energy. needed by tissue for repair and growth. made up of 20 amino acids.

amino acids

monomers of proteins

nucleic acid

macromolecule containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus

DNA

an example of nucleic acids; found in the nucleus of all cells

nucleotides

monomers of nucleic acids

pH

a measure of how acidic or alkaline a solution is, scale from 1 (very acidic; containing more hydrogen ions) to 14 (very alkaline; containing more hydroxide ions) with 7 being neutral.

dehydration synthesis

Condensation reaction where molecules are connected by loss of a water molecule.~ (small monomers to large polymers )

hydrolysis reaction

A chemical reaction that breaks apart a larger molecule by adding a molecule of water