Carbohydrates Flashcards
Give examples of polysaccharides that the human body can break down and others that it can not break down. Relate this to why we can’t eat grass
The human body can break down starch but it cannot break down cellulose in the grass due to its molecular structure. Our salivary amylase does not work well with the type of molecular structure cellulose has, but this is not the case for starch. This is why we are able to eat things with starch in it, like bread, but not grass.
Describe the structural formula differences between the following carbohydrates: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Mono: one sugar molecule
Di: two sugar molecules connected together
Poly: multiple sugar molecules connected together
Explain how starch is broken down to maltose and then to glucose to be used in the human body for cellular respiration.
Our digestive system breaks down starch to maltose and to glucose through salivary amylase. This is then converted during cellular respiration to ATP, which is used as energy within the body.
Explain what cellular respiration is and why it is necessary that starch be broken down in the human body.
Cellular respiration is the set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into ATP and releases waste products. We can only digest monosaccharides, and our salivary amylase is capable of breaking down polysaccharides like starch, to disaccharides like maltose, then a monosaccharide like glucose. This is then converted to ATP via cellular respiration.
Explain what an enzyme is and how they are made in the body
An enzyme is a type of protein that acts as a catalyst for specific biochemical reactions and they are made by amino acids put together in a specific way
Describe what amylase is and what it does in living systems.
An amylase is an enzyme that breaks down things like starch into simple sugars. It helps living organisms like us digest food with starch in it.
