Carbohydrates Flashcards
1
Q
What are carbohydrates?
A
Carbohydrates are biological molecules made out of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a ratio of roughly one carbon atom to one water molecule.
2
Q
What type of molecules are monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides?
A
Simple sugars
3
Q
How many sugar units are there in monosaccharides?
A
One
4
Q
How many sugar units are there in a disaccharides?
A
two
5
Q
What type of molecule is glucose?
A
simple sugar
6
Q
Describe the structure of amylose.
A
- long unbranched chain of alpha(1,4) glycosidic bonds glucose
- forms coiled alpha helix (hydrogen bonds between H- and -OH groups)
- coiled structure is compact
7
Q
Describe the structure of amylopectin.
A
- branched chain of alpha glucose (1,4) glycosidic bonds and (1,6) glycosidic bonds
- forms a network
- rapidly hydrolysed
- glucose is quickly released
8
Q
Describe the structure of glycogen
A
- branched chain of of alpha glucose (1,4) glycosidic bonds and (1,6) glycosidic bonds
- forms a network
- rapidly hydrolysed
9
Q
Describe the structure of cellulose
A
- unbranched straight chain of beta (1,4) glucose
* chains align to each other forming tough fibres (held together by hydrogen bonds)
