This document provides an overview of biological macromolecules including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. It explains that monomers combine through dehydration synthesis to form polymers. Carbohydrates include monosaccharides (glucose, fructose), disaccharides (sucrose, lactose), and polysaccharides (starch, glycogen, cellulose, chitin). Lipids are hydrophobic and used for insulation and energy storage, with examples being fats, oils, phospholipids, and steroids like cholesterol. Proteins are made of amino acids joined by peptide bonds and perform important structural and functional roles. Nucleic acids like DNA and RNA contain nucleotides of sugar, phosphate, and nitrogen bases and

1. Ch 3: Biological Macromolecules
Student Handout

2. Monomers = single unit
Polymer = many units bound together
All biological macromolecules follow the
same basic pattern:
monomer + monomer + monomer +
monomer + monomer + monomer

3. Dehydration Synthesis
Hydrolysis
builds
breaks

4. MACROMOLECULES important to life
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic Acids
What about the carbon molecule makes
it an ideal molecule for life forms?

5. 1. CARBOHYDRATES
-monosaccharides - simple
ring sugars, glucose and
fructose
-disaccharides - two
monosaccharides combined,
sucrose and lactose
-polysaccharides - polymers
(repeating units) of
monosaccharides

6. Polysaccharides store energy:
● starch (plants)
● glycogen (animals)

7. Polysaccharides are also structural molecules
cellulose - makes up cell walls (plants)
chitin - makes up exoskeletons

8. What you need to know about carbohydrates
1. Distinguish between monosaccharides, disaccharides
and polysaccharides. (Give examples of each)
2. Understand how carbohydrates are used in plants and
animals as energy storage molecules.
3. Understand how carbohydrates are used in plants and
animals as structural molecules.

9. 2. Lipids
Hydrophobic (insoluble in water)
Used for insulation and long term energy storage (fat)*
Fats & Oils are made of subunits – glycerol and fatty acids
Waxes – mainly used for covering and protection

10. Phospholipids -
Important structural component of the cell membrane

11. Steroids - cholesterol & sex hormones (estrogen & testosterone)
– made of 4 fused rings

12. Cholesterol
- a lipid molecule
- essential component of cell membranes
- maintains membrane integrity and fluidity.
Cholesterol enables animal cells to
(a) not need a cell wall
(b) be able change shape
(c) move freely

13. Saturated fats contain no double bonds, solid at room temperature;
Unsaturated have double bonds that “kink” the molecule, liquid at room
temperature

15. What you need to know about lipids
1. Compare saturated to unsaturated fats.
2. List the functions of lipids
3. Identify a steroid from a picture (4 rings)
4. Identify the main component of the cell membrane.

16. 3. Proteins
Polymers made of amino acids,
which are joined by peptide
bonds - proteins are also called
polypeptides
Amino acids form a wide variety of
structures, mainly building blocks for
living tissue
Examples: Lactase (enzyme),
Hemoglobin, Insulin, Keratin,
Myoglobin (muscles)

17. Also used for:
Support | Enzymes |
Transport | Defense |
Hormones | Motion
Functions of Proteins
Spike proteins on the surface
of the coronavirus

18. Proteins can be denatured, heat causes it to lose its shape,
and its functionality
There are 20 known amino acids

19. Proteins have four shapes
Primary | Secondary | Tertiary | Quaternary

20. Nucleic Acids
Information storing molecules
Repeating nucleotides
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) & RNA (ribonucleic acid)
Each nucleotide consists of:
1. A sugar (deoxyribose or ribose)
2. A phosphate
3. A nitrogen base
- adenine
- thymine
- guanine
- cytosine
- uracil (in RNA)

22. MATCHING
a. carbohydrate b. lipids
c. protein d. nucleic acids
1. contains adenine and thymine
2. lactose
3. chains of amino acids
4. long term energy storage
5. cholesterol
6. chains of fatty acids and glycerol
7. plant cell walls