During Unit 2, we learned about four main macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates are rings of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen which bond to create sugars, such as monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides, and is used by plants and a main source of energy for humans. Lipids are large molecules such as fats and oils which contain long chains of carbon and hydrogen called fatty acid, containing a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. They are used to store energy, break bonds, and used to make up cell membranes. Proteins are made of amino acids, that are chained together, and support the human body and speed up chemical reactions.
There are two types of proteins, structural proteins that make up our body such as kerratin and collagen, and enzymes that speed up chemical processes up in your body, being a catalyst and lowers activation energy in order to get more product in less time. Finally, nucleic acids are made up of thousands of nucleotides that are made of three components: sugar, phosphate and a nitrogen base. DNA, a nucleic acid, serves as a blueprint for making proteins. All these macromolecules work together in order to create and sustain life, to create a happy and healthy organism.
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