Final answer:
Polymers are large molecules made up of repeating monomeric units and polymerization is the process of linking these monomers into polymers, not the breaking down of polymers into monomers. Proteins and nucleic acids are indeed examples of naturally occurring polymers. Polymerization can produce diverse types of polymers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating structural units known as monomers, which are linked together by covalent bonds. This assertion is true; polymers are characterized by their large size (macromolecules) and can have a variety of structural forms including linear, branched, or even cross-linked arrangements.
Polymerization is not the process of breaking down polymers into monomers. Rather, it is the process of joining monomers together to form a polymer, which can occur through various mechanisms including addition reaction or condensation reaction. The view that polymerization breaks down polymers into monomers is false.
That proteins and nucleic acids are examples of polymers is true. Proteins are polymers of amino acid subunits, and nucleic acids like DNA and RNA are polymers composed of nucleotide monomers.
Polymerization can indeed result in the formation of various types of polymers. Depending on the monomers involved and the conditions under which polymerization occurs, the resultant polymers can differ in properties like strength, elasticity, and resistance to chemicals.