Biological Macromolecules

Flashcards summarizing key concepts related to biological macromolecules.

Organic Molecules

Compounds made up of hydrocarbons, consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms; living or once-living.

Macromolecule

A very large molecule built from smaller organic molecules.

Monomer

A single unit by itself; building block of polymers.

Polymer

A chain of monomers; a larger molecule made from smaller units.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds represented by the formula Cn(H2O)n with a ratios of 1:2:1 (Carbon:Hydrogen:Oxygen).

Monosaccharide

The simplest form of carbohydrates; single sugar units like glucose, galactose, and fructose.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate formed from two monosaccharides, such as sucrose and lactose.

Polysaccharide

Carbohydrates made up of many monosaccharides, such as starch and glycogen.

Lipid

A diverse group of hydrophobic biological molecules that includes fats, oils, waxes, and steroids.

Fatty Acid

Long-chain carboxylic acids; can be saturated (single bonds) or unsaturated (double bonds).

Triglyceride

A lipid composed of glycerol and three fatty acids; an important energy storage molecule.

Phospholipid

A major component of cell membranes composed of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group.

Protein

Large biological macromolecules made of amino acid monomers; essential for numerous functions in living organisms.

Amino Acid

The building blocks of proteins; 20 different amino acids can be combined in various sequences.

Enzyme

A type of protein that acts as a biological catalyst to speed up chemical reactions.

Nucleic Acids

Large complex molecules (like DNA and RNA) that store genetic information.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; carries the genetic code and is double-stranded.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid; involved in protein synthesis and is single-stranded.