Organic chemistry
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IntuitionIntuition: size and function
Sugars, fats, proteins and polymers differ greatly in size. Small sugars can link together; amino acids build proteins; fats store energy; engineered polymers make plastics and fibers.
SchoolSchool: four families
Definition: Polymer
| Family | Examples | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | sugars, starch | energy/structure |
| Fats | oils, triglycerides | energy storage |
| Proteins | enzymes, muscle | catalysis/structure |
| Polymers | cellulose, plastics | materials |
Example: Starch units
Solution
Mostly glucose; digestion releases smaller sugars and glucose.
SchoolCarbohydrates and fats
Many fats are triglycerides: glycerol plus three fatty acids. Their hydrocarbon chains are energy-rich and do not dissolve well in water.
Unsaturated fatty-acid chains have C=C bonds and often stay liquid as oils. Hydrogenation can reduce these bonds; health effects depend on the processing.
SchoolProteins and polymers
Proteins are amino-acid chains linked by peptide bonds. Their sequence folds to a shape; heat or extreme pH can denature them.
UndergraduateUniversity: polymer formation
Addition polymerization joins unsaturated monomers without losing a small molecule; condensation releases a small molecule. Natural polymers are enzyme-controlled, not random chains.