Summary OCR A/AS-Level Biology 2.2.1 Organic Molecules

Organic Molecules
What are Organic Molecules?
Organic molecules are naturally occurring molecules that make-up living organisms. They are
carbon and hydrogen based with carbon-hydrogen bonds. Organic molecules are simply
carbon-hydrogen molecules.



Monomers and Polymers
Monomers are single units which chemically react to other molecules of the same type to
form a larger molecule (a polymer).
Polymers are large molecules built from many smaller monomer units joined together by
covalent bonds to form a chain.

Monomers Polymers

Starch
Glucose Cellulose
Glycogen

Amino Acids Proteins


Nucleotides Nucleic Acids



Carbohydrates: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
Proteins: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorous
Nucleic Acids: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous
Lipids: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen