Organic Molecules

The structures of living things are made of four types of complex molecules.  Organic molecules are made by living things and contain carbon. For the most part, they are large molecules that cannot be formed by natural processes other than the machinery in living cells.

• Most have many different sizes:

  • Monomers are small versions of the molecule ​

  • Polymers are larger forms that are made of repeating chains of monomers

• They are made of ​similar types of elements:  Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and perhaps others