Select All That Are Monomers [SOLVED]

If you are a students, you might come across some difficult questions, and one of it is the question to select all that are monomers. If you do not study at all, you might cannot answer the question correctly, your mind will be blank, and that is why this article is here.

To form a polymer, large amounts of monomers combine through a chemical process. Do you need help to select all that are monomers? This article will explain all about monomers.

Select All That Are Monomers: Types of Monomers

Select All That Are Monomers

You may have heard of polymers and monomers. Polymers are combinations of monomers, while monomers are molecules with small structures such as amino acids in proteins. So, proteins are polymers while amino acids are monomers.

Monomers are the bricks while polymers are the buildings or walls made from a bunch of them. However, bricks are not necessarily the same size and shape as monomers, which vary. In the human body, there are various monomers that make up certain biomolecules.

Each has a unique function and can support the overall function of the body if all of them are functioning properly. So that you can successfully select all the monomers in the question, learn about the following types of monomers:

1. Amino Acids: Protein Monomer

Amino acids in proteins are of different types and each has a different structure. However, there are at least three key parts of amino acids including side chains, carboxyl groups, and amino groups. Amino acids combine in peptide bonds that form polypeptides and fold into complex structures with the result being proteins.

As we know, protein plays an important role in biological functions. Proteins can improve enzyme performance, regulate hormones, and build various tissues in the human body. A simple example is hemoglobin, which can have its function disrupted if the amino acid sequence in the hemoglobin protein changes.

Amino acids can be likened to a set of letters to form “protein” as a word. Each of these letters can have a different function or meaning. Common examples of amino acids are tryptophan, leucine, valine, alanine, and glycine.

The combining of amino acids will go through a condensation reaction. This is the process in which the amino group (of one amino acid) reacts with the carboxyl group (of another amino acid). The reaction releases water and forms a peptide bond. Furthermore, polypeptide chains can form proteins.

Amino acids can be essential or non-essential. This means that there are amino acids that the body can produce (non-essential) such as glutamic acid, glycine, and alanine. While amino acids that cannot be produced by the body (essential) are obtained from certain consumption such as lysine, leucine, and valine.

The bottom line is that proteins cannot be fully formed without amino acids. The role of amino acids as monomers is very important because protein itself is important to support many crucial biological functions. On the other hand, amino acids can also be a source of energy.

2. Monosaccharide: Carbohydrate Monomer

Without monosaccharides, carbohydrates cannot be formed. Monosaccharides can be in the form of fructose, galactose, or glucose. Fructose can be easily found in various fruits. Galactose is the main component of lactose (a sugar often found in milk) while glucose is a monosaccharide that provides energy for the body.

If you want to be able to select all that are monomers, you must know how monomers and polymers differ. Like monosaccharides as monomers that combine and then form certain polymers. The combination of monosaccharides can form disaccharides and polysaccharides.

The combination of two monosaccharides can produce disaccharides such as lactose and sucrose. While the long chains of monosaccharides are polysaccharides such as cellulose, and glycogen. The function of monosaccharides in the body is so important, especially when it comes to providing quick energy. Monosaccharides also play an important role as raw materials in various biological structures.

Monosaccharides are chocolate in small pieces. When you eat the small chocolates directly, you can get energy quickly. But if you put them together or combine them, you can enjoy a big cake as a polysaccharide.

In biological cases, glucose as fuel can be processed into ATP or energy through cellular respiration. In plants, β-glucose can form cellulose as a polymer that forms the cell wall.

3. Nucleotide: Nucleic Acid Monomer

The combination of nucleotides can produce nucleic acids such as RNA and DNA. In general, there are 3 main components of nucleotides: phosphate groups, nitrogenous bases, and pentose sugars. The pentose sugars for DNA and RNA are different, ribose is the pentose sugar in RNA while deoxyribose is the pentose sugar in DNA.

To become a long chain, the nucleotides will join through phosphodiester bonds. The phosphate group serves to support the bond between nucleotides (via phosphodiester). If you think about it, nucleotides are like the letters that make up a sentence. The letters have their code.

When combined, these letters can become sentences (RNA or DNA) that have genetic information. DNA has important roles including supporting protein synthesis. How our bodies develop is also influenced by DNA.

4. Fatty Acids & Glycerol: Lipid Monomer

Another example to help you select all that are monomers in the question and understand them well is lipids. Unlike other groups of molecules, the monomers in lipids are not uniform. These complex molecules are composed of fatty acids and glycerol.

– Fatty Acids

There are two kinds of fatty acids: saturated and non-saturated. Unsaturated fatty acids can have one or more double bonds. Double bonds have certain effects on lipids such as making them more liquid. Saturated fatty acids, on the other hand, do not have double bonds.

Examples of unsaturated fatty acids are plant oils while saturated ones are animal fats. Fatty acids have a carboxyl group at one end of the hydrocarbon chain (long-chain). Depending on the degree of saturation and the length of the chain, the properties (chemical and physical) of fatty acids can vary.

Fatty acids are important for the body, especially as a source of energy. Fatty acids are broken down through oxidation and produce ATP that the body uses in its activities. Another function of fatty acids is to be precursors for prostaglandins and other signaling molecules. These are essential for physiological functions such as inflammatory processes.

– Glycerol

As the backbone of lipids, glycerol plays a very important role. There are 3 carbon atoms in this small molecule. Each carbon atom is bound to a hydroxyl group. Glycerol has an ideal structure for fatty acid bond formation through esterification.

Esterification is a chemical process that binds glycerol with fatty acids to produce lipids. Glycerol can be likened to the main skeleton of lipids. Glycerol also has a variety of other functions besides building lipids.

Glycerol can support the body’s metabolism because it can be turned into glucose. The process of gluconeogenesis can convert glycerol into glucose in the kidneys and liver. During fasting, this process is very important because glucose can be produced even without carbohydrates.

In addition to providing energy, lipids are structural components for cell membranes and protect certain organs. If we think of the function of lipids for cell membranes, fatty acids are the knitting pattern and glycerol is the yarn. When yarn is knitted in a certain pattern, it can produce a fabric that can be made flexible and strong.

Understanding Monomer Synthesis

To learn more about monomers, you should also understand how they are used in various industries. Industries that use synthesized materials are rubber and plastics. For example, ethylene is used to make polyethylene (PE) or the plastic that we often use today.

Another example is polyacrylonitrile, which is made from acrylonitrile. The polyacrylonitrile is commonly used to make acrylic or other synthetic fibers. So, monomers are also related to various industries such as the plastic industry.

Various industrial polymers including PS, PP, and PE. Now you can select all that are monomers. Those are some examples of monomers in general and each one has a different result such as nucleotides that form nucleic acids.

Monomer Characteristics

As the basic unit of a polymer, monomers have several characteristics. The main characteristic of a monomer is that it allows it to form larger structures. Here are some characteristics of monomers that you need to know:

1. Simple structure

Monomers have a low molecular weight and a simple structure. In proteins, monomers are limited to amino acids only. While in carbohydrates, the monomer is glucose.

2. Has a reactive group

Monomers may be involved in chemical interactions. Usually, monomers have certain reactive groups including amine, hydroxyl, and carboxyl. All of these groups make it possible to form bonds.

3. Can polymerize

Another feature of monomers is that they can polymerize or combine with other monomers. Polymerization can turn monomers into polymers of varying sizes. Monomers that were once small molecules can have long chains or become large molecules (polymers).

4. Has biological function

Before they become polymers, monomers often have certain independent functions. One example is glucose, which provides energy. Another example is nucleotides that support the formation of ATP for cellular energy.

5. Diversity of function

Monomers have a high degree of versatility. The properties and structure of monomers vary depending on what the final polymer is. For example, amino acids are monomers in proteins that can build biological structures. Another example is nucleotides which form nucleic acids with the function of storing genetic information.

Monomers can be synthetic and biological. If you need to select all that are monomers in the quiz, you need to know where the question is leading. If it is biological, then amino acids, monosaccharides, and nucleotides, are the right answers. While the types of monomers in synthetic or non-biological include styrene, ethylene, and vinyl chloride.

Monomers in Real-Life Application

In everyday life, monomers have an important role to play whether it is in synthesis or biologically. Understanding the potential of monomers is important to make certain innovations that are in line with human needs be it for health or industry.

Besides the need to select all that are monomers, also understand how the monomers are applied. Here are some examples of monomer applications that you need to know:

  • Textiles

Caprolactam is a monomer that can form nylon which is then used to make clothing and other products. Another example is acrylonitrile which can be used to make acrylic (synthetic fiber). Synthetic fibers can be used to make blankets or sweaters.

  • Medical

Amino acids as the base of proteins are often used for specific therapies. For example, insulin is very important for treating diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin therapy means administering insulin via pump or injection.

  • Plastics

In the plastics industry, ethylene (monomer) is used to produce polyethylene. Polyethylene or PE is a plastic material used to make bottles, shopping bags, or snack packaging. Other monomers used in the plastics industry are styrene and vinyl chloride.

  • Energy

Fatty acids can be monomers for biodiesel as a popular alternative now for renewable energy. Another monomer for energy applications is isoprene which is the base of natural rubber.

  • Construction

PMMA or polymethyl methacrylate is a polymer of methyl methacrylate that can be used as an alternative to screen protectors, and windows. Another example is formaldehyde which can form a resin when used with phenol or melamine. Resins can be used to coat wood or as adhesives.

Understanding monomers including select all that are monomers is important for education, industry, and other fields. Large numbers of monomers can combine into polymers through a process called polymerization. Monomers that were once small molecules can become a collection of molecules with long chains and more complex functions.

FAQs

What is a monomer?

Monomers are molecules that are usually bonded together to form a polymer (a group of monomers). Polymerization is the process of combining monomers to form a longer-chain polymer through chemical bonding.

What are some examples of monomers?

Examples of monomers include amino acids for proteins and monosaccharides (fructose and glucose) for carbohydrates. In addition, nucleic acids and lipids all have monomers.

What are the monomers of DNA?

Nucleotides are the monomers of DNA while phosphate groups and pentose sugars are the monomers of the DNA backbone. A pentose sugar is a sugar with 5 carbon atoms.

What is the function of monomers?

The function of monomers is that they are components to produce important molecules. Monomers can be useful biologically such as in protein formation or industrially to make plastics.

What are the protein monomers?

Amino acids are the monomers that build proteins. Essential amino acids include isoleucine, leucine, valine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and so on.

What RNA monomer?

Both RNA and DNA are polymers composed of nucleotides. The difference is that the sugar type for monomeric DNA is deoxyribose while monomeric RNA is ribose.

What is the difference between polymers and monomers?

Monomers are small individual molecules. Polymers are formed by many monomers so they have long molecular chains.

How do monomers become polymers?

The incorporation of monomers into polymers can be through addition reactions without the process of molecular release. Another method is a condensation reaction that involves the release of water molecules.

What types of monomers are there?

To select all that are monomers, here is the list:

    • Nucleotides
    • Fatty Acids
    • Amino acids
    • Monosaccharides

Each monomer has an important function for human application or life in general.

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