What are the differences between polymers and macromolecules?

What is the difference between Polymers and Macromolecule? • Macromolecules and polymers are both giant molecules. Some macromolecules are polymers, but not all; some of them cannot be divided into small units. • Polymers are macromolecules with a repeating unit called monomer throughout the molecular structure. But, not all macromolecules have a monomer in their structure. • Macromolecules comprise of both polymeric and non-polymeric molecules, but polymers include only polymerized molecules. Polymer vs Macromolecule The difference between polymer and macromolecule stems from the fact that polymer is a subdivision of macromolecule. Macromolecules are extremely large molecules with a high molecular weight. Macromolecules can be subdivided into two main categories according to their structure. Some are polymerized molecules and some are non-polymerized molecules. Polymers are formed by the polymerization of small molecules, which are called monomers. Though the main focus of this article is the differences between macromolecules and polymers, it first explains polymers and macromolecules before going into the differences. What is a Polymer? Polymers are huge molecules containing identical building blocks. Each polymer has a repeating unit, it is called the monomer. The word polymer means many parts (“poly” = many and “mer” = parts); the term is derived from two Greek words “polus” (= many) and “meros” (= parts). There are naturally occurring polymers as well as artificially synthesized polymers; shellac, wool, silk, natural rubber and amber are some examples for natural polymeric materials. Cellulose is another natural polymer which can be found in wood and paper. Bio-polymers are found in biological systems; proteins (polyamides), nucleic acids (polynucleotides) and carbohydrates are few examples for bio-polymers. What is a Macromolecule? A macromolecule is a giant molecule that consists of thousands of atoms. They have a molecular weight ranging from several thousands to several millions and the size from several tens of nanometers (nm) to few centimeters (cm). Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids are some examples for macromolecules. Some macromolecules are multiples of a repeating unit (monomer), they are called polymers. Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids contain monomers. But, some macromolecules cannot be sub-divided into individual entities; some of those molecules have macrocycles. For example, fat is a macromolecule, synthesized by condensation of four molecules (glycerol and 3-fatty acids), but it is not a polymer. read less