Biological Macromolecules

The four molecule families of life: carbohydrates (quick energy; monomer = monosaccharide), lipids (stored energy, membranes; fats are not true polymers), proteins (structure and enzymes; monomer = amino acid), and nucleic acids (information; monomer = nucleotide).

Lipids include fats, phospholipids (the membrane bilayer), and steroids like cholesterol. Building polymers releases water (dehydration synthesis) while digestion adds water back to break bonds (hydrolysis) — the chemistry behind the digestive system’s work.

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