Macromolecules and Their Building Blocks

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to macromolecules and their building blocks.

macromolecule

A very large molecule made by living things.

lipid

A macromolecule that stores long-term energy and makes up cell membranes (fats and oils).

organic

A molecule that contains carbon and is usually made by living organisms.

nucleic acid

A macromolecule that stores and transmits genetic information (DNA and RNA).

monomer

A small building-block molecule.

monosaccharide

A single sugar molecule, the monomer of carbohydrates.

polymer

A long chain made by joining many monomers together.

amino acid

The monomer (building block) of proteins.

carbohydrate

A macromolecule used mainly for quick energy and sometimes structure (sugars and starches).

fatty acid

The monomer (building block) of lipids.

protein

A macromolecule that does many jobs in the body, like building structures and speeding up reactions.

nucleotide

The monomer (building block) of nucleic acids.