Carbohydrates - AP Biology

  1. What is the process of forming a disaccharide from two monosaccharides?
    Dehydration synthesis. Water is removed to form the glycosidic bond.
  2. Which carbohydrate is involved in genetic material composition?
    Ribose in RNA, deoxyribose in DNA. Sugar components form backbone of nucleic acids.
  3. Identify the bond formed between carbohydrate molecules.
    Glycosidic bond. Covalent bond linking sugar molecules together.
  4. Which polysaccharide is a primary structural component of plant cell walls?
    Cellulose. Made of glucose units linked by beta-1,4 bonds.
  5. What is the main form of carbohydrate energy storage in plants?
    Starch. Complex carbohydrate storing glucose for plant energy.
  6. Which carbohydrate cannot be digested by humans, providing dietary fiber?
    Cellulose. Beta-1,4 bonds cannot be broken by human enzymes.
  7. Give an example of a hexose sugar.
    Glucose. Six-carbon sugar that's the main cellular fuel.
  8. What is the term for carbohydrates with more than two sugar units?
    Polysaccharides. Complex carbohydrates made of many sugar units.
  9. What is the empirical formula for glucose?
    C6H12O6C_6H_{12}O_6. Molecular formula showing glucose composition.
  10. Name a common disaccharide.
    Sucrose. Common table sugar found in many plants.
  11. Which test is used to detect the presence of reducing sugars?
    Benedict's test. Color change indicates presence of free aldehyde groups.
  12. Name the two monosaccharides that form lactose.
    Glucose and galactose. Forms lactose, the sugar found in milk.
  13. What is the term for sugars that can donate electrons to other molecules?
    Reducing sugars. Have free carbonyl groups that can act as electron donors.
  14. Identify the polysaccharide in the exoskeleton of arthropods.
    Chitin. Modified glucose polymer providing structural support.
  15. What disaccharide is formed from glucose and fructose?
    Sucrose. Common table sugar made by dehydration synthesis.
  16. Which monosaccharide is an aldose sugar?
    Glucose. Contains an aldehyde functional group at carbon-1.
  17. What is the storage form of energy in animals?
    Glycogen. Branched polymer readily mobilized for quick energy.
  18. What type of reaction breaks down polysaccharides into monosaccharides?
    Hydrolysis. Water is added to break glycosidic bonds.
  19. Which polysaccharide serves as a storage form of energy in fungi?
    Glycogen. Also used by fungi for energy storage purposes.
  20. Which carbohydrate is used as a sweetener in the food industry?
    Sucrose. Disaccharide providing sweetness in processed foods.
  21. What is the primary component of plant cell walls?
    Cellulose. Beta-glucose polymer providing structural integrity.
  22. Identify a carbohydrate that is a major component of insect exoskeletons.
    Chitin. Contains nitrogen and provides protective structure.
  23. What is the structural difference between alpha and beta glucose?
    The position of the OH group on carbon 1. Determines accessibility and digestibility of the sugar.
  24. What is a common test for the presence of starch?
    Iodine test. Turns blue-black in presence of starch molecules.
  25. Which enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of starch into maltose?
    Amylase. Breaks alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds in starch.
  26. What is the simplest form of carbohydrates?
    Monosaccharides. Single sugar units that cannot be hydrolyzed further.
  27. What is the role of carbohydrates in cell recognition?
    Act as markers on cell surfaces. Glycoproteins identify cells for immune recognition.
  28. Define monosaccharide.
    A simple sugar with a single sugar unit. Cannot be broken down into smaller sugar units.
  29. Which monosaccharide is a component of RNA?
    Ribose. Five-carbon sugar in RNA backbone structure.
  30. Which functional groups are present in glucose?
    Hydroxyl and aldehyde. Multiple OH groups and one carbonyl group present.
  31. What is the main storage form of carbohydrates in animals?
    Glycogen. Highly branched glucose polymer stored in liver and muscles.
  32. What polysaccharide is used by plants to store glucose?
    Starch. Stores glucose units for later energy release.
  33. Name a storage polysaccharide found in plants.
    Starch. Made of amylose and amylopectin for energy storage.
  34. What is the basic chemical formula for carbohydrates?
    (CH2O)n(CH_2O)_n. Shows 1:2:1 ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen atoms.
  35. Name a carbohydrate that serves as a quick energy source.
    Glucose. Simple sugar rapidly absorbed for immediate energy.
  36. What is an isomer in the context of carbohydrates?
    Molecules with the same formula but different structures. Different arrangements of atoms create distinct properties.
  37. What is the primary function of carbohydrates in cells?
    Energy storage and supply. Provides readily available fuel for cellular processes.
  38. What is the major function of cellulose in plants?
    Provides structural support. Forms rigid fibers that maintain plant shape.
  39. Identify a pentose sugar.
    Ribose. Five-carbon sugar found in RNA structure.
  40. What is the function of glycoproteins?
    Cell recognition and signaling. Carbohydrate-protein complexes facilitate cell communication.

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