Polymers

Polymers are large macromolecules composed of smaller repeating subunits (called monomers) via condensation reactions

• Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides are joined together to form polysaccharides via glycosidic linkages

• Nucleic Acids: Nucleotides are connected by phosphodiester bonds to form polynucleotide chains (DNA or RNA)

• Proteins: Amino acids are linked by peptide bonds to form polypeptide chains (proteins can possess multiple chains)

• Lipids: Do not possess monomers but fatty acid chains can be connected by ester linkages to form triglycerides and phospholipids

Types of Polymers

Digestion

Polymers can be broken down into their monomeric subunits via hydrolysis reactions

• A water molecule is split to provide the -H and -OH groups required to break the covalent bond between two monomers
  

Hydrolysis Reaction

Hydrolysis Reaction