Final answer:
Cells use energy to make a large molecule and then throw parts of that molecule away for various reasons, such as breaking down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars or discarding damaged or unneeded parts of protein molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cells use energy to make a large molecule and then throw parts of that molecule away for various reasons.
For example, cells break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars to use for energy. In this process, some parts of the complex carbohydrate molecule are discarded while the cell uses the simple sugars.
Cells also use energy to build proteins, but sometimes parts of the protein molecule may become damaged or no longer needed, so they are broken down and discarded.