* Polymer: A large molecule composed of many smaller repeating structural units called monomers.
* Monomers: The individual building blocks of a polymer.
In the case of DNA:
* Monomers: The monomers of DNA are called nucleotides.
* Nucleotides: Each nucleotide consists of three parts:
* Phosphate group: Provides the backbone structure and negative charge.
* Sugar molecule (deoxyribose): Provides the structural framework.
* Nitrogenous base: Carries the genetic information (Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine).
These nucleotides are linked together in a long chain by phosphodiester bonds formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar molecule of the next. This creates a long, continuous strand of DNA.
Therefore, due to its structure of repeating nucleotides linked by covalent bonds, DNA is considered a polymer.
