1.1 Monomers and polymers

• What are monomers and polymers?

  ● Monomers - smaller / repeating molecules from which larger molecules / polymers are made

  ● Polymer - molecule made up of many identical / similar molecules / monomers
• what is a condensation reaction ?

  • 2 molecules join together

  ● Forming a chemical bond

  ● Releasing a water molecule
• What is a hydrolysis reaction?

  ● 2 molecules separated

  ● Breaking a chemical bond

  ● Using a water molecule
• give 3 examples of monomers?

  Monosaccharide (Glucose), amino acids, and nucleotides.
• give me 3 examples of polymers?

  Polynucleotide ( DNA/RNA) , Polysaccharide e.g starch, Polypeptide (protein)
• Exam insight: common mistakes ❌"Lipids are polymers.” ?

  Lipids are not made from repeating monomers
• Exam insight: common mistakes ❌“A polymer is made of two

  or more monomers.”?

  ‘Poly’ means many. Two monomers joined together is a dimer
• Exam insight: common mistakes ❌*Forgetting to include H2O in diagrams of

  condensation and hydrolysis reactions.* ?

  1 H2O molecule is released for every condensation reaction

  and 1 H2O molecule is used for every hydrolysis reaction.