Macromolecule Simple Understanding

Macromolecules can be defined as very large molecules. In nature, macromolecules can be found in natural organic polymer - the word polymer is derived from the Greek words which is translated into "many parts" and it is often used as an alternative term, one which emphasizes the nature of macromolecules as being built up by the joining of many small chemical units known as monomers or single parts. Polymers may be either of biological origin such as polyethylene, nylon, polystyrene and polyesters.

Macromolecules have structure on several levels at the chemical level they are repeating sequences of a particular type of monomer unit covalently joined. Thus, units of the monomer for example the styrene may be linked to each other to form polystyrene.

The microstructural level refers to the precise way that these units are joined together. They are represented above as connected head-to-tail, but they may also be connected head-to-head: tail-to-tail and other options also exist. The conformation of a macromolecule describes the spatial arrangement of the polymer along its contour and may be altered by rotations about bonds without alteration of the covalent structure.

Many polymers are partially crystalline, and the chain conformation is markedly influenced and conditioned by the requirements of the crystal packing of the chains. Finally, the morphology of a macromolecular material refers to the supramolecular organization of the molecules, whether crystalline or amorphous, in the solid state.