Monomeros e polimeros

Monomers and Polymers (Macromolecules)

Much of our focus in biology is on giant molecules like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids (fats), and nucleic acids. These are referred to as macromolecules.

Macro (large) is the opposite of micro (small), so it denotes largeness. A good way to remember that macromolecules are large is to think "Big Mac". "Mac" sounds like macromolecule and "Big" reminds us that they are large.

Another word for macromolecule is polymer. They are synonyms. Proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids are all examples of polymers.

Polymers are made from smaller repeating units that are all linked together. These smaller molecules are called monomers. They're kind of like building blocks.

Some polymers are super big and can be made up of hundreds (or even thousands) of monomers bonded together. They are often held together by strong covalent bonds.

Let's return quickly to the four macromolecules we mentioned above. Each of those macromolecules (polymers) is made of a different monomer. Each of those monomers has its own name. For example, proteins are made of amino acids.

Key Vocabulary:

1. Macromolecule
2. Monomer
3. Polymer

The Importance of Monomers

A monomer is a compound that is able to form longer chains of itself. You can think of them as Legos. If you stack them, you can form a long chain. The formation of the long chain of monomers is known as polymerization.

A polymer is a long chain of monomers. The monomers can all be the same or the polymer can include multiple types of monomer.

A polymer of the same type of molecule is like a stack of blue Legos; they're all identical. A polymer that includes multiple types of monomers is like a stack of blue Legos with a couple of red ones thrown in. They still fit perfectly together, but they are not identical.

Polymerization is how macromolecules are formed. The four key macromolecules that exist in our bodies are nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. The basic structure of the monomers and polymers for each type of macromolecule are shown below.

$$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Vocabulary Review:}}$$

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Carbon}}$ : The sixth element on the periodic table. It is the backbone of life

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Organic Molecule}}$ : Any molecule made of carbon and hydrogen. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and oxygen are commonly found in them

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Monomer}}$ : Any molecule that can react with other molecules of the same or different makeup to form a chain (polymer)

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Polymer}}$ : A chain of monomers made of a specific type of compound

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Macromolecule}}$ : A polymer that has a large (macro) molecular mass. There are four main types in organisms: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids

What Is a Polymer?

A monomer is the smallest individual unit that can combine with other monomers to form polymers.

A polymer is a large molecule that is composed of many repeating monomers bonded together.

Monomers are joined together through a process called polymerization to form polymers.

• Lipids are formed through fatty acid synthesis.

• Carbohydrates are formed through dehydration synthesis. This is a special type of synthesis where water molecules are removed as the parts come together.

• Proteins are formed through translation.

• Nucleic acids are formed through dehydration synthesis.

Polymers composed of only one repeating monomer are known as homopolymers. Like the links of a chain, all of the repeating units of a homopolymer are identical.

Polymers composed of more than one kind of repeating monomer are called co-polymers.

DNA (and RNA) is an important co-polymer. The nucleic acids adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine are monomers and are joined together in a specific sequence to form the complex polymer DNA.

(Video) Monomers and Polymers

by sciencemusicvideos

How does your body make all of those proteins it uses to function? The answer is by putting small molecules and compounds, called monomers, together to form polymers. This video explains the difference between a monomer and a polymer and how polymers are made.