the variety of life Flashcards
what are monomers?
monomers are small molecules that can bond with other identical molecules to form polymers. They are small units from which bigger molecules are made
what are polymers?
polymers are large molecules made up of the repetition of smaller chemical units (monomers) joined by chemical bonds
what are examples of monomers?
monosaccharides, amino acids and nucleotides
what are examples of polymers?
protein, DNA and starch
what molecules are produced by a condensation polymerisation reaction?
some polymers
what is a condensation reaction?
a reaction that joins two molecules together with the formation of a chemical bond
what happens when a condensation polymerisation reaction occurs?
a small molecule, typically water, is produced as a by-product
what is hydrolysis?
hydrolysis is the breaking of chemical bonds between two molecules due to a reaction with water
