Macromolecule

Name:
Macromolecule
Detailed information:
A molecule, usually organic, composed an aggregation of hundreds or thousands of atoms. Such giant molecules are generally of two types. (1) Individual entities (compounds) that cannot be subdivided without losing their chemical identity. Typically these are proteins, many of which have molecular weights running into the millions. (2) Combinations of repeating chemical units (monomers) linked together into chain or network structures called polymers; each monomer has the same chemical constitution as the polymer, e.g., isoprene (C₅H₈) and polyisoprene(C₅H₈)_n. Synthetic elastomers (plastics) are typical of this kind of macromolecule; cellulose is the most common example found in nature. Most macromolecules are in the colloidal size range.See Polymer, High; Protein; Colloid Chemistry.