1.1.1 Biological Molecules: Key Terms

• Key molecules required to build structures that enable organisms to function:

  Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, water
• Monomers


  The smaller units from which larger molecules are made
• Polymers

  Molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together in a chain
• Organic compounds contain the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H)
• Each carbon atom can form four covalent bonds
• Polymerisation

  The process of joining monomers together to make a long chain of molecules called a polymer
• Carbon atoms can form covalent bonds with oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur
• Carbon atoms can bond to form straight chains, branched chains, or rings
• Macromolecules are very large molecules that contain 1000 or more atoms therefore having a high molecular mass
• The three types of carbohydrates are monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides