Macromolecules

Fatty Acids

A monomer of lipids. It consists of a long chain of Carbon atoms, each connected to Hydrogen atoms and a few Oxygen atoms at one end of the chain. Two or three of these often combine with glycerol (another monomer of lipids).

Molecule

These are formed when two or more atoms bond to make a new chemical with different properties from the atoms alone. Some basic version of these are important for life and include water, oxygen gas, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia.

Monomer

These are the smaller molecules that combine to make macromolecules. You can think of these like train cars that connect to make a long train or like a Lego piece that combines with others to make a Lego model.

atom

These are the smallest part of any molecule. They combine through different types of bonds (i.e. hydrogen bonds, covalent bonds, peptide bonds) to make small and large molecules. The most common types in living things are C, H, O, N, P, and S.

Macromolecule

These are very large chemicals structures made from smaller chemicals structures called monomers. There are four main groups of these in living things, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.

Iodine

This is a solution used to test for the presence of complex carbohydrates (starch) in food. A positive test for starch will turn the solution deep purple or black.

Biuret

This is a solution used to test for the presence of proteins in food. A positive test for protein will turn the solution purple.

Benedicts

This is a solution used to test for the presence of simple carbohydrates (sugars) in food. A positive test for sugar will turn the solution yellow or orange when it is heated.

Polymer

This is a term used to describe a macromolecule made of many connected monomers.

Polysaccharide

This is a type of complex carbohydrate consisting of many connected sugar rings. You can detect this by looking for a dark purple, almost-black precipitate after adding iodine.

Monosaccharide

This is a type of simple carbohydrate consisting of one sugar ring. You can detect this by looking for a change to yellow or orange after adding Benedict Solution and heat.

Disaccharide

This is a type of simple carbohydrate consisting of two connected sugar rings. You can detect this by looking for a change to yellow or orange after adding Benedict Solution and heat.

Proteins

This is one type of macromolecule important to all living things. It is made of monomers called amino acids which are made only of Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Nitrogen with an amino group made of 3H, 1N and a "+" charge. Another name for this molecule is polypeptide because the amino acids are connected by peptide bonds. This type of molecule is used to make most cell structures and also enzymes.

Nucleic Acids

This is one type of macromolecule important to all living things. It is made of monomers called nucleotides which are made only of Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Phosphate atoms. The nucleotides have three parts; phosphate, sugar, and Nitrogen base. This type of molecule is useful in the transfer of genetic information and in the production of proteins.

Lipid

This is one type of macromolecule important to all living things. It is made of monomers called of Fatty Acids and Glycerol which are made mostly of Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen atoms with mostly C and H, and a few O atoms. This type of molecule is useful in long term storage of energy and is part of cellular structures. You can test for the presence of lipids in food using paper. If the paper turns translucent after rubbing the food and letting it dry, the food has lipids.

Steroids

A type of lipid that has at least three hexagonal rings formed by the long chains of the fatty acids.

Nucleotides

The monomer of DNA and RNA. These are made of three parts, the phosphate, the sugar and the Nitrogen base.

Carbohydrate

This is one type of macromolecule important to all living things. It is made of monomers of sugar which are made only of Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen atoms in the ratio of 1C, 2H, 1O. The name implies its composition because there is one Carbon atom for every Water molecule. This type of molecule is useful in immediate and in short term storage of energy and is part of cellular structures.

Amino Acids

This is the monomer of proteins. It contains an amino group (3 atoms of H connected to a Nitrogen atom), a carboxyl group and a variable group called "R." These connect with peptide bonds to make proteins which are also called polypeptides.

Polymerization

This is the process of connecting monomers to make polymers.