1. Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing compounds like those that are essential for life, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. 2. These molecules are made up of monomers like amino acids and nucleotides that join together through condensation reactions to form polymers. 3. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids each have important roles in the structure and functions of living organisms.