Which term describes a large molecule made up of repeating monomer units?

Which term describes a large molecule made up of repeating monomer units?

• A. Monomer
• B. Polymer
• C. Oligomer
• D. Protein

Answer: (B)

The idea here is naming a very large molecule made by linking many repeating units. When you join many identical or similar monomer units end-to-end, you get a polymer. A monomer is just one of those building blocks, so it isn’t the big molecule itself. An oligomer refers to a shorter chain of a few repeating units, not a long, extensive chain. A protein is a specific type of polymer made from amino acids, but the general term for a large molecule formed from repeating units is polymer. For example, plastics like polyethylene and natural materials like starch are polymers made from repeating monomer units.

The idea here is naming a very large molecule made by linking many repeating units. When you join many identical or similar monomer units end-to-end, you get a polymer. A monomer is just one of those building blocks, so it isn’t the big molecule itself. An oligomer refers to a shorter chain of a few repeating units, not a long, extensive chain. A protein is a specific type of polymer made from amino acids, but the general term for a large molecule formed from repeating units is polymer. For example, plastics like polyethylene and natural materials like starch are polymers made from repeating monomer units.