This document provides an introduction to biochemical macromolecules by defining key terms like polymer, monomer, and the "Big 4" macromolecules. It discusses that polymers are long chains made of repeating monomer units, and the Big 4 include proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Examples are given of analogies to explain polymers and monomers, like a train being made of connected cars. Food labels contain carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The 4th macromolecule is nucleic acids like DNA and RNA.
16. The whole train is like a polymer
because it is long and made up of
smaller repeating units.
• What are the monomers in a train?
(Click here to find out)
21. Now you and your lab partner
need to think of at least 2 other
analogies for a polymer and its
monomers.
(Write your analogies on your handout)
22. These questions are on your handout
•A P o lym e r is a macromolecule which is a
Long/Short (circle one) chain of groups of
atoms which repeat many times.
•Polymers are made up of a few/many (circle
one) small groups of atoms put together.
These small groups of atoms are units called
_______.
•The monomer is repeated over and over
within the ________.
26. The Big 4
There are 4 types of biochemical macromolecules
•What does “Bio-Chemical” mean?
(Hint: What does “bio” mean?)
A biochemical is a chemical made by _______________
•Then what is a biochemical macromolecule?
(Write your answers on your worksheet)
27. Three out of the 4 types of
biochemical macromolecules
can be found on food
nutrition labels…
28. Hint: They are not vitamins
or minerals
The 3 biochemical molecules
found on a nutrition label are:
(0 grams in this product)
1____________________
2____________________
(13 grams in this product)
(9 grams in this product)
3____________________
(Write your answers on your worksheet)
29.
30. An example of the
4th kind of biochemical
macromolecule is…
“DNA” is short for
DeoxyriboNucleic Acid
Now you know why they just call it DNA!
31.
32. DeoxyriboNucleic Acid
The key to knowing the 4th kind of biochemical
molecule is the last half of DNA’s name.
33. DeoxyriboNucleic Acids
The key to knowing the 4th kind of biochemical
molecule is the last half of DNA’s name.
34. DeoxyriboNucleic Acids
The key to knowing the 4th kind of biochemical
molecule is the last half of DNA’s name.
Hint: if you wrote down DNA as your
answer on your worksheet, it is
wrong!
35. The 4th type of biochemical
macromolecule is the
NUCLEIC ACIDS
36. The 4th type of biochemical
macromolecule is the
NUCLEIC ACIDS
The types of Nucleic Acids
we will study are:
–DNA (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid)
–RNA (RiboNucleic Acid)
37. Discuss and answer the following
questions with your partner.
Please do not look
at your notes.
1) What is a macromolecule?
2) What is a biochemical?
3) What is a polymer?
4) What is a monomer?
5) What are the “Big 4” biochemical
macromolecules?
38.
39. When studying these biochemical
molecules, we are interested in
finding out…..
• what they do for living things.
40. When studying these biochemical
molecules, we are interested in
finding out…..
• what they do for living things.
• what they generally look like.
41. When studying these biochemical
molecules, we are interested in
finding out…..
• what they do for living things.
• what they generally look like.
• what their monomers are.
42. When studying these biochemical
molecules, we are interested in
finding out…..
• what they do for living things.
• what they generally look like.
• what their monomers are.
• and how they may help the body gain
energy to sustain life.
