Reef Chemistry Puzzle #18 I am the longest!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Reef Chemistry Puzzle 18

1. I am probably the most important type of molecule in a reef aquarium
2. I am also the biggest type molecule in a reef aquarium
3. If I stretch all the way out, I can nearly reach from one end of the aquarium to the other, but I don't like to do that
4. UV light tends to damage me

What am I?

Good luck!

Previous Reef Chemistry Puzzle:

Reef Chemistry Puzzle #17 I'm very hefty

Reef Chemistry Puzzle 17 1. I am a very hefty ion in seawater 2. I come in two primary ionic forms in seawater 3. Quite a few reef aquarists dose me 4. In my elemental state, I am so darkly colored as to appear black What am I? Good luck! Previous Reef Chemistry Puzzle...

www.reef2reef.com

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[dnprall]

DNA

 

[Miami Reef]

DNA

 

[Fish Styx]

+1 DNA

 

[drolmaeye]

DNA

This sounds right, not sure I would have found this on my own.

 

[dennis romano]

DNA

 

[taricha]

wonder if PMMA also satisfies those clues

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

wonder if PMMA also satisfies those clues

Very interesting suggestion, but no. In a crosslinked polymer like vulcanized rubber in a car tire, the whole tire is one molecule, with some unattached stuff trapped in it.

But in a thermoplastic like PMMA that can be molded by melting, each polymer strand is distinct, and is never going to be much over thousands of monomers. Never over a million. Thus the actual length of such a material is still quite short.

 

[MnFish1]

Well DNA from one cell stretched out is about 2 meters. So - DNA. Nothing else works - unless you're talking about an element as compared to a molecule - (Which I would highly doubt) - DNA

 

[MnFish1]

At first I was thinking some kind of silica issue (i.e. some silicone polymer) - but again - DNA

 

[drolmaeye]

I am thirsty for more Reef Chemistry Puzzles (but only if OP has the time/motivation. If other life stuff needs to take priority, then of course this would be one thing to let go.)

I have enjoyed the last half-dozen or so (since I became aware of their existence).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

uh oh, looks like I forgot to give my answer lol

1. I am probably the most important type of molecule in a reef aquarium
2. I am also the biggest type molecule in a reef aquarium
3. If I stretch all the way out, I can nearly reach from one end of the aquarium to the other, but I don't like to do that
4. UV light tends to damage me

My answer, as many correctly noted, is DNA. It's a huge molecule when stretched out, is damaged by UV (hence the cancer/UV correlation) and almost nothing would be alive in a reef tank without it.

Happy reefing!