The Chemistry of Life
Biochemistry, as you may be able to tell from the name, is the study of chemicals that relate to life. This field can range from simple organic reactions to extremely complex enzymatic processes. For the purposes of this course, the most important ability is the ability to classify molecules based on their monomers.
Marcomolecules vs. Monomers
Macromolecules (DNA, starch, protein) are made up of subunits called monomers. These monomers join together by dehydration reactions, which results in a chemical bond between them. Macromolecules can be broken apart into their constituents by hydrolysis reactions.