organic compunds

• Monomer

  The smaller building block that combines to form larger molecules
• Polymer

  A macromolecule formed by the linkage of monomers
• Dehydration Reaction

  A type of chemical reaction where two molecules are bonded together, releasing water (H2O) as a byproduct.
• Hydrolysis

  A chemical reaction that breaks down a molecule into smaller parts using water (H2O), the reverse of dehydration synthesis.
• Enzyme

  A macromolecule that speeds up chemical reactions in cells by catalyzing the formation and breaking of chemical bonds.
• Isomers

  Molecules with the same number and type of atoms (elements), but different structures or arrangements, resulting in different chemical properties.
• Organic compound

  A molecule that contains carbon and hydrogen atoms, as well as other elements, found in living organisms.
• Monosaccharide

  A simple sugar that is the building block of carbohydrates, typically composed of 3-7 carbon atoms and having the general formula CH2O.
• Disaccharide

  A carbohydrate composed of two monosaccharide molecules linked together through a glycosidic bond, such as sucrose, lactose, or maltose.
• Polysaccharide

  A macromolecule composed of hundreds to thousands of monosaccharide molecules linked together through glycosidic bonds formed through dehydration reactions, such as starch, cellulose, or glycogen.
• Starch

  A storage polysaccharide in plants composed of glucose monomers linked together through glycosidic bonds, which can adopt unbranched, helical, or branched structures.
• Glycogen

  A storage polysaccharide in animals composed of glucose monomers linked together through glycosidic bonds, stored as granules in liver and muscle cells, used to supply glucose for energy production.
• Cellulose

  A major component of plant cell walls, composed of glucose monomers linked together through glycosidic bonds to form microfibrils, allowing it to provide structure, rigidity, and strength to the plant cell.
• Chitin

  A polymer of acetylglucosamine, used in the construction of exoskeletons (insects, crustaceans) and cell walls (fungi), providing rigidity, structure, and protection to these organisms.
• Lipids

  A diverse group of molecules that are hydrophobic and do not mix well with water, due to their nonpolar regions and hydrocarbon rings or chains.
• Glycerol

  A three-carbon molecule with three hydroxyl groups, forming ester bonds with fatty acids to create triglycerides.