Macromolecules Practice

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Macromolecule Noun

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[mak-roh-mol-uh-kyool]

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Macromolecule

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A very large molecule, such as a protein or carbohydrate, built from smaller chemical units called monomers.

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Example: This diagram shows a large macromolecule, starch, being broken down by digestion into its smaller repeating units, which are glucose molecules.

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Monomer Noun

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[mon-uh-mer]

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Monomer

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A single molecule that serves as a repeating structural unit to form larger molecules known as polymers.

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Example: This diagram shows that a nucleotide, which is a type of monomer, is a single unit made up of three smaller parts: a phosphate, a sugar, and a base.

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Polymerization Noun

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[pol-i-mer-i-zay-shun]

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Polymerization

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A chemical process that combines several smaller molecules, called monomers, to form a larger polymer or macromolecule.

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Example: This diagram shows how small molecules called monomers (amino acids) link together to form a large, chain-like molecule called a polymer (protein).

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Dehydration Synthesis Noun

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[dee-hy-dray-shun sin-thuh-sis]

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Dehydration Synthesis

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A chemical reaction where two molecules are covalently bonded together with the corresponding removal of a water molecule.

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Example: This diagram shows two small molecules, called monomers, linking together to form a larger molecule. This chemical reaction, dehydration synthesis, removes and releases one water molecule.

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Hydrolysis Noun

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[hy-drol-uh-sis]

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Hydrolysis

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The chemical breakdown of a compound by reacting with water, often splitting a polymer into its constituent monomers.

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Example: This diagram shows a large protein molecule being broken down into smaller pieces (peptides) and then into its basic building blocks (amino acids), a process called hydrolysis.

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Carbohydrate Noun

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[kar-boh-hy-drayt]

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Carbohydrate

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A biological macromolecule made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, serving as a primary source of energy for living things.

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Example: This image shows common foods like bread, pasta, and rice, which are all major sources of carbohydrates, a key energy-providing macromolecule.

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Lipid Noun

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[lip-id]

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Lipid

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A macromolecule, like fats or oils, used for long-term energy storage, insulation, and forming cell membranes.

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Example: This diagram shows how lipids (specifically, phospholipids) arrange themselves into a lipid bilayer, which forms cell membranes, with water-loving heads and water-fearing tails.

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Protein Noun

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[proh-teen]

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Protein

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A macromolecule made of amino acids that performs diverse functions like structure, transport, and catalyzing biochemical reactions.

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Example: This diagram shows that proteins are large molecules (polymers) made by linking together many smaller units called amino acids, like beads on a string.

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Nucleic Acid Noun

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[noo-klee-ik as-id]

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Nucleic Acid

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A macromolecule composed of nucleotides, such as DNA or RNA, that stores and transmits an organism's genetic information.

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Example: This diagram shows the structure of DNA, a type of nucleic acid. It has a double helix shape with a sugar-phosphate backbone and paired bases.

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Monosaccharide Noun

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[mon-oh-sak-uh-ryd]

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Monosaccharide

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The simplest form of carbohydrate, a single sugar molecule that acts as the monomer for more complex carbohydrates.

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Example: This image shows the chemical structure of glucose, a simple sugar that is a primary example of a monosaccharide, the basic building block for carbohydrates.