Question

Match each macromolecule below with the monomer(s) to which it is broken down by chemical digestion.

1. Fats
2. Proteins
3. Nucleic acids
4. Carbohydrates

Answer 1

Chemical digestion breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol, proteins into amino acids, nucleic acids into nitrogenous bases, sugars, and phosphates, and carbohydrates into monosaccharides such as glucose and galactose.

Step-by-step explanation:

Chemical digestion involves breaking down macromolecules into their monomers. This process is facilitated by specific enzymes and usually occurs in the digestive system. Here's how each macromolecule is digested:

• Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol.
• Proteins are digested into amino acids.
• Nucleic acids are decomposed into nitrogenous bases, sugars, and phosphates.
• Carbohydrates are broken down into monosaccharides like glucose and galactose.

For example, during carbohydrate digestion, enzymes like amylase break down starch into maltose, and further enzymes like sucrase and lactase convert disaccharides into monosaccharides. In protein digestion, enzymes like pepsin and peptidase, along with hydrochloric acid, reduce proteins to amino acids. Lipids are hydrolyzed by lipases into fatty acids and glycerol. Nucleic acids are digested by nucleases, releasing individual nucleotides.