Biology Chapter: Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are organic compounds that provide energy, store energy and provide structural support. They are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Simple sugars like glucose, fructose and galactose are the building blocks of carbohydrates. These are called monosaccharides.

Two simple sugars joined together, like in sucrose and maltose, form disaccharides.

Complex carbohydrates, like starch and cellulose, are made up of many sugar units linked together. These are called polysaccharides.

Plants store energy as starch, while animals store energy as glycogen. Both are types of polysaccharides.

A six-carbon sugar where the hydroxyl group (OH) on carbon 1 is below the plane of the ring.

A six-carbon sugar where the hydroxyl group (OH) on carbon 1 is above the plane of the ring.

A six-carbon sugar that is very soluble in water.

A six-carbon sugar that is less soluble in water than Fructose.

A simple sugar containing six carbon atoms. Examples include Glucose, Fructose and Galactose.

A double sugar formed by the combination of two monosaccharides linked by a glycosidic bond.

Maltose is a disaccharide made from two glucose molecules. It is an energy source for cells.

Sucrose is a common disaccharide found in fruits. It is composed of glucose and fructose.

Lactose is a disaccharide found in milk. It is composed of glucose and galactose.

This bond joins two monosaccharides together in disaccharides. This results in a straight chain molecule.

Glycosidic bonds are the specific type of covalent bond that links sugar units (monosaccharides) together in polysaccharides.

Amylopectin is a branched form of starch that has a complex structure with many branches, making it more easily broken down by enzymes.

Amylose is a linear form of starch that has a simpler, unbranched structure.

Glycogen is a highly branched polysaccharide that serves as the primary energy storage molecule in animals. It is stored in the liver and muscles.

A complex carbohydrate found in plant cell walls, composed of long chains of beta-glucose molecules linked together.

Hundreds of cellulose chains linked together by hydrogen bonds, forming strong, rigid structures within plant cell walls.

A type of bond that forms between adjacent cellulose chains, contributing to the structural integrity of cellulose fibers.

The primary structural component of plant cell walls, providing strength and rigidity to the cell.

Consists of two glucose molecules joined together; found in malt sugars and fruit.

A chemical reaction where two molecules combine to form a larger molecule, releasing a water molecule in the process.

The bond formed between two monosaccharides when they join together via condensation.

A chemical reaction that breaks down a larger molecule into smaller molecules by adding a water molecule.

A polysaccharide formed from α-glucose, composed of two types: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is mostly linear, and amylopectin is branched due to 1,6 linkages.

A simple sugar with the chemical formula (CH₂O)n, where n is the number of carbon atoms.

Two monosaccharides joined together, for example, glucose and fructose linked to form sucrose.

A type of carbohydrate that is made up of many sugar units linked together, like starch and cellulose.

Structural forms (isomers) of glucose that differ in the position of the hydroxyl group on carbon 1.

A disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose, commonly found in fruits.

A chemical reaction in which water is added to break down a complex molecule into smaller monomers. For example, breaking down a polysaccharide (like starch) into simple sugars (like glucose).

A linear polymer of glucose molecules, found in starch. It's joined by 1-4 glycosidic bonds.

A branched polymer of glucose molecules, found in starch. It's joined by 1-4 and 1-6 glycosidic bonds, creating branches.

A test used to identify the presence of starch.

A type of polysaccharide that serves as the primary energy storage molecule in animals.

A branched polymer composed of α-glucose units, similar in structure to amylopectin.

A structural polysaccharide found in plant cell walls. It is a linear polymer formed from β-glucose monomers.