AQA · GCSE · Chemistry
Course version: 8462 · Version from Sept 2018
Students should be able to name the types of monomers from which these…
Full specification wording
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and other naturally occurring polymers: Students should be able to name the types of monomers from which these naturally occurring polymers are made.
A monomer is a small molecule that can join with many identical or similar molecules to form a polymer.
Checked against the AQA 8462 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 5 of 5
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
A monomer is a small molecule that can join with many identical or similar molecules to form a polymer. For the naturally occurring polymers important for life, you need to name the monomer type for each. Proteins are made from amino acids; different amino acids can be joined in a chain, and the order of amino acids determines the protein. Starch and cellulose are both made from glucose, so glucose is the monomer for both. DNA is made from nucleotides, which are the monomers of nucleic acids. When naming monomers, be precise: 'amino acid' not 'protein', and 'glucose' not 'sugar' in general. A useful check is to ask whether the named monomer could join repeatedly to build the polymer; if it cannot, it is probably not the monomer.
What earns the marks
- Proteins are made from amino acid monomers.
- Starch is made from glucose monomers.
- Cellulose is made from glucose monomers.
- DNA is made from nucleotide monomers.
- The monomer is the small repeating unit that joins to form the polymer.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Naming 'sugar' instead of 'glucose' for starch and cellulose.
Put it right: Glucose is the specific monomer.
Naming 'protein' as the monomer of proteins.
Put it right: Protein is the polymer, and amino acid is the monomer.
Confusing nucleotides with amino acids when naming the monomer of DNA.
Put it right: DNA is made from nucleotides.
Exam tips
- Learn the monomer-polymer pairs as a table: amino acid-protein, glucose-starch, glucose-cellulose, nucleotide-DNA.
- If a question asks for the type of monomer, give the general type, such as amino acid, rather than a specific example unless asked.
- Check that your named monomer can join repeatedly; this confirms it is a monomer rather than a polymer.
Try the lesson
The start of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and other naturally occurring polymers: Students should be able to name the types of monomers from which these naturally occurring polymers are made. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which type of monomer is joined together to make a protein?
Listen
A monomer is a small molecule that can join with many identical or similar molecules to form a polymer. For the naturally occurring polymers important for life, you need to name the monomer type for each. Proteins are made from amino acids; different amino acids can be joined in a chain, and the order of amino acids determines the protein. Starch and cellulose are both made from glucose, so glucose is the monomer for both. DNA is made from nucleotides, which are the monomers of nucleic acids. When naming monomers, be precise: 'amino acid' not 'protein', and 'glucose' not 'sugar' in general. A useful check is to ask whether the named monomer could join repeatedly to build the polymer; if it cannot, it is probably not the monomer. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Proteins are made from amino acid monomers. Starch is made from glucose monomers. Cellulose is made from glucose monomers. DNA is made from nucleotide monomers. Exam tip: Learn the monomer-polymer pairs as a table: amino acid-protein, glucose-starch, glucose-cellulose, nucleotide-DNA.
See it
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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