monomers and polymers

• monomers are single subunits from which larger molecules are made
• examples of monomers are: amino acids, nucleotides and monosaccherides
• a ploymer is a complex molecule made by combining monomers using covalent bonds
• examples of polymers are protiens, dna and starch
• biological polymers are formed from monomers in condensation reactions (this produces an extra molecule of water)
• biological polymers can be broken back into monomers in a hydrolysis reaction. it uses a molecule of water to break the chemical bonds between monomers.