How do lipids differ from other macromolecules?

The primary distinction is that fats are not polymers; they do not form polyermic large molecules; a triglyceride fat is composed of various components, but it does not serve as the building block for a larger molecule. Most other macromolecules are polymers made up of monomers (DNA/RNA is made of nucleotides, proteins are made of amino acids, and polysaccharides are made of monomers).

Lipids are different from nucleic acids and proteins in that they are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (phospholipids, of course, also contain phosphorous). Proteins also contain nitrogen and sulfur, while nucleic acids also contain nitrogen and phosphorous.

Although they have different structures, carbohydrates and lipids have the same C, H, and O composition. Triglycerides, or lipids, are made up of three long-chain carboxylic acids (fatty acids) and a triple hydroxyl alcohol (glycerol) that have bonded through a triple condensation reaction. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are composed of carbon ring structures that can either remain alone or polymerize into long polysaccharide chains.

Lipids differ from other macromolecules by being hydrophobic and not forming polymers. They include fats, phospholipids, and steroids, serving diverse functions such as energy storage, structural components, and signaling molecules.