1. The Structure of Biomolecules

2. All living things need energy and nutrients
All living things need energy and nutrients. Most organisms get their energy and nutrients from their FOOD in the form of biomolecules.
Proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids
are the 4 main classes of biomolecules.

3. Nucleic acids Proteins Carbohydrates
3 of the 4 classes of biomolecules are classified as polymers. These are long molecules are made of very similar, repeating monomers.
Nucleic acids
Proteins
Carbohydrates

4. Understanding the Vocabulary
Photo by Toni Lozano
When we say “polymer” we are referring to the whole molecule. What would you call the entire object above?
It is a chain. I would say that chains are like polymers.

5. It is a link. I would say that links are like monomers.
Polymer: chain
Monomer: link
Photo by Toni Lozano
When we say “monomer” we are referring to the individual piece that keeps repeating. What would you call the individual pieces of a chain?
It is a link. I would say that links are like monomers.

6. The entire chain is the polymer, and each monkey is a monomer.
In this picture, what would you say is the polymer, and what would be the monomers?
The entire chain is the polymer, and each monkey is a monomer.

7. Carbohydrates are made of sugars
This is a
simple sugar
This large molecule is a complex carbohydrate.

8. Carbohydrates are also known as saccharides.
monosaccharide
oligosaccharide
disaccharide
polysaccharide

9. This large molecule is a protein.
Proteins are made of
amino acids
This is an amino acid
This large molecule is a protein.

10. Proteins are also known as polypeptides.
This is because the bond that holds amino acids together in a protein is called a peptide bond.
Peptide Bonds

11. Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides
This is a nucleotide
This large molecule is a nucleic acid.

12. Nucleic Acids RNA DNA and RNA are the two main types of nucleic acids.
The cell’s genetic material is made of nucleic acids!
RNA

13. Every nucleotide has 3 basic parts:
1. The phosphate group
2. A sugar named deoxyribose
3. One of the 4 nitrogen bases

14. Lipids
Types of Lipids
Lipids are the group of biomolecules that contains fats, cholesterols, and phospholipids.
Diagrams by Eoin Fahy

15. The most commonly referred to lipids are fats.
Fats are made of a glycerol molecule attached to three fatty acids.

16. Proteins
Carbs
All four classes of biomolecules are considered organic compounds. This is because they are all based on the element carbon.
Lipids
Nucleic Acids

17. Important Vocabulary:
1. All of the biomolecules can be broken apart or digested to obtain their building blocks and the energy inside of them.
2. Biomolecules can also be built or synthesized by the cells to complete certain tasks and store energy for later use.