1.4 Carbohydrates

Which process directly produces a water molecule as a byproduct?

A student claims that glycogen and cellulose must have identical biological functions because both are polymers of glucose. Which statement best explains why this claim is incorrect?

During prolonged exercise, an athlete's muscle cells rapidly break down glycogen to release glucose. Which description correctly identifies the type of reaction occurring and the role of water in it?

The approximate elemental ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen in a monosaccharide is:

A plant cell is synthesizing starch for energy storage. Which sequence correctly describes the assembly process?

A researcher discovers a previously unknown polysaccharide in a marine organism. The polysaccharide is extremely branched — even more so than glycogen. Based on the structure–function relationship of carbohydrates, which prediction about this molecule's function is most justified?

Starch and glycogen both function in energy storage, yet glycogen allows faster glucose mobilization than starch. What structural feature best accounts for this difference?

Which statement correctly distinguishes a monosaccharide from a polysaccharide?

A biology student observes that termites can thrive on a diet of wood, which is rich in cellulose. Most other animals cannot digest cellulose. Based on the structural properties of cellulose, which explanation best accounts for why cellulose is so difficult for most animals to break down?

The processes of dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis apply to all classes of biological macromolecules, not only carbohydrates. Which statement best captures this general principle?