Which term refers to the smaller units that join to form polymers?

Which term refers to the smaller units that join to form polymers?

• A. Substituted Hydrocarbon
• B. Ester
• C. Monomer
• D. Protein

Answer: (C)

Monomer is the term for the smaller units that join to form polymers. Polymers are long molecules built by linking many repeating units called monomers. Each monomer provides a building block that bonds to nearby units, creating the chain that makes up a polymer. For example, amino acids are the monomers that join to form proteins, while glucose monomers can join to form polysaccharides like starch or cellulose, and nucleotides form nucleic acids like DNA. The other terms aren’t the general name for the building blocks: a substituted hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon with different groups attached, an ester is a specific functional group, and a protein is a polymer itself (made of amino acids), not the small unit itself.

Monomer is the term for the smaller units that join to form polymers. Polymers are long molecules built by linking many repeating units called monomers. Each monomer provides a building block that bonds to nearby units, creating the chain that makes up a polymer. For example, amino acids are the monomers that join to form proteins, while glucose monomers can join to form polysaccharides like starch or cellulose, and nucleotides form nucleic acids like DNA. The other terms aren’t the general name for the building blocks: a substituted hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon with different groups attached, an ester is a specific functional group, and a protein is a polymer itself (made of amino acids), not the small unit itself.