Organic compounds are made of carbon and vary in size. They are built by linking small molecules called monomers together through condensation to form long chains called polymers. The four main classes of organic molecules found in organisms are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates provide energy and can be stored, lipids are used for energy storage and cell membranes, proteins provide structure and make enzymes, and nucleic acids store genetic information.