Which of these is the largest molecule?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Consider the nature and size of each option to compare molecular scale. 
Option 1: A carbohydrate monomer (e.g., glucose) is a single small molecule with about six carbon atoms; as a building block, it is much smaller than polymers formed from many units. 
Option 2: A phospholipid consists of a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid chains, and a phosphate-containing head; while it is larger than a simple sugar or amino acid, it is still a single lipid molecule and far smaller than long polymer chains. 
Option 3: A polysaccharide is a long polymer made up of many sugar units linked together; these can be tens to thousands of monosaccharide units, producing a very large macromolecule, often exceeding the size of other listed molecules. 
Option 4: An amino acid is the basic building block of proteins and is a relatively small molecule compared to polymers; on its own it is much smaller than a typical polysaccharide. 
Taken together, the polysaccharide stands out as the largest among the given options due to its polymeric, multi-unit nature, whereas the others are single small molecules or relatively small macromolecules.

AGRI10050_2025_SM1 Mega progress quiz Part 1 (W2-W4)

Which of these is the largest molecule?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which of these are classes of biological molecules?