Final answer:
Anabolism is the process of producing larger compounds from smaller ones, which involves energy consumption and is part of metabolism, alongside catabolism that breaks down molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reactions involved in producing larger compounds from smaller compounds is called anabolism. Anabolism and catabolism are two types of metabolic processes. Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and the organism. Anabolic reactions are building reactions, and they consume energy to synthesize larger molecules from smaller ones, like proteins from amino acids. In contrast, catabolic reactions involve the breakdown of molecules and release energy. Both anabolic and catabolic reactions are essential to sustain life and are inherently linked, as the energy produced by catabolism is used to drive anabolism.