evidence for evolution is information that supports the theory of evolution - the theory that all organisms on earth are descended from one or a few common ancestors and that they have changed and diversified over time
There is and has been a huge variety of different organisms on earth - all share same biochemistry - all contain same groups of carbon-based compounds that interact in similar ways - e.g. use same nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) as genetic material and same amino acids to build proteins
most carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids are polymers
polymers are large complex molecules composed of long chains of monomers joined together
monomers are small, basic molecular units that can form a polymer
e.g. monosaccharides, amino acids, nucleotides
most biological polymers are formed from their monomers by condensation reactions
an condensation reaction forms a chemical bond between monomers, releasing a molecule of water
biological polymers can be broken down into monomers by hyfrolysis reactions
a hydrolysis reaction breaks the chemical bond between monomers using a water molecule
