Final answer:
Lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins differ from carbohydrates in terms of their functional groups and structure, leading to varied solubility, roles in energy storage, and functions such as catalysis or genetic information maintenance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical properties of lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins are different from carbohydrates due to the presence of diverse functional groups and structural variability. Carbohydrates typically consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a roughly 1:2:1 ratio and are often structured as chains or rings of sugars. Lipids, which include fats and oils, are generally nonpolar and hydrophobic due to long hydrocarbon chains, making them less soluble in water compared to carbohydrates.
Proteins are composed of amino acids, which contain a variable side chain along with a common amine and carboxylic acid group, influencing their complex three-dimensional structures and functions, such as enzyme activity or signaling. Nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, are made up of nucleotides comprising a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base, playing essential roles in genetic information storage and transfer.
Each of these classes of macromolecules has unique chemical reactions they partake in, based on their functional groups and molecular composition, contributing to their functional importance to humans for energy storage, structural support, catalysis of biochemical reactions, and genetic information maintenance.