Macromolecules Vocabulary List 1. Macromolecule: a molecule containing a large number of atoms 2. Monomer: a single unit of a macromolecule 3. Polymer: repeating units of a macromolecule 4. Carbohydrate: a biological molecule consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. 5. Monosaccharide: a simple sugar 6. Polysaccharide: a complex sugar 7. Dehydration synthesis: removing water to create chemical bonds 8. Hydrolysis: the addition of water breaking chemical bonds 9. Glucose: a simple sugar used to provide energy for chemical reactions 10. Starch: a complex sugar found in plants that stores carbohydrates 11. Glycogen: a complex sugar found in animals that stores carbohydrates 12. Cellulose: a complex sugar found in plants that makes up plant cell walls 13. Chitin: a complex sugar that makes up the exoskeletons of hard-shelled animals and the cell walls of fungi 14. Lipid: a biological molecule that is made of fatty acids and not dissolvable in water 15. Triglyceride: the main component of natural fats and oils formed by glycerol and three fatty acid groups 16. Saturated fat: No double bonds between carbon atoms; straight chain ‘saturated’ with hydrogen atoms 17. Unsaturated fat: At least one double bond between carbon atoms; bent chain 18. Phospholipid: a lipid containing a phosphate group; makes up cell membranes 19. Hydrophobic: Water-repelling 20. Hydrophilic: Water-attracting 21. Waxes: a highly hydrophobic material found in nature 22. Steroid: an organic compound containing four rings of carbon atoms 23. Protein: a group of complex biological molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur 24. Amino acid: a simple biological molecule containing a carboxyl (-COOH) and an amino (NH2) group; the basic unit of a protein 25. Polypeptide: Multiple amino acids joined together by peptide bonds 26. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid. A molecule in the shape of a double helix that contains genetic information for constructing proteins. 27. Nucleotide: The basic unit of DNA consisting of a base, a deoxyribose sugar, and a phosphate group 28. Cohesion: the process of molecules sticking together 29. Adhesion: the process of molecules sticking to a surface or object 30. Evaporation: the process of water vaporizing into a gas 31. Density: the compactness of a substance 32. Capillary action: the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces in opposition to gravity 33. Hydrogen bonds: a weak bond between water molecules due to their positive and negative ends 34. Enzyme: a protein that acts as a catalyst in chemical reactions 35. Lactase: an enzyme that breaks down lactose 36. Catalase: an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide 37. Active site: the site on an enzyme where a substrate attaches 38. Substrate: a molecule that an enzyme acts upon 39. Competitive inhibitor: an inhibitor that sits in the active site and prevents the substrate from entering 40. Non-competitive inhibitor: an inhibitor that sits an another site on the enzyme and changes the shape of the active site so that substrates cannot enter 41. Activation energy: the amount of energy it takes to get a chemical reaction started 42. Denatured/denaturing: in extreme conditions, molecules warp out of shape and no longer work correctly 43. Catalyst: a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed itself 44. Lock and key hypothesis: the idea that a substrate fits into an enzyme like a key fits into a lock 45. Induced fit hypothesis: the idea that an enzyme folds around a substrate
