Final answer:
Proteins are polymers that contain 50 or more amino acids and have a diverse role in the structure and function of organisms. They are formed from amino acids linked by amide bonds into polypeptides, which must often be modified to be fully functional.
Step-by-step explanation:
Polymers that contain 50 or more amino acids are called proteins. These biological polymers play a crucial role in the structure and function of human bodies. Amino acids, the monomers of proteins, are connected by amide bonds in long chains called polypeptides, which form the backbone of proteins.
Notably, all living organisms utilize only 20 different amino acids to construct the vast array of proteins essential for life's processes. Proteins are distinct from shorter chains of amino acids, known as peptides, and the threshold of approximately 50 amino acids serves as the differentiating line between the two. Furthermore, proteins can have complex structures and functions, often requiring post-translational modifications to become fully functional.