AP Biology Flashcards: Carbohydrates

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Carbohydrates, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Biology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Give an example of a hexose sugar.

Answer: Glucose. Six-carbon sugar that's the main cellular fuel.

Flashcard 2: What disaccharide is formed from glucose and fructose?

Answer: Sucrose. Common table sugar made by dehydration synthesis.

Flashcard 3: What is the process of forming a disaccharide from two monosaccharides?

Answer: Dehydration synthesis. Water is removed to form the glycosidic bond.

Flashcard 4: What is the term for sugars that can donate electrons to other molecules?

Answer: Reducing sugars. Have free carbonyl groups that can act as electron donors.

Flashcard 5: What is the main storage form of carbohydrates in animals?

Answer: Glycogen. Highly branched glucose polymer stored in liver and muscles.

Flashcard 6: What is the basic chemical formula for carbohydrates?

Answer: $(CH_2O)_n$. Shows 1:2:1 ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen atoms.

Flashcard 7: What is the term for carbohydrates with more than two sugar units?

Answer: Polysaccharides. Complex carbohydrates made of many sugar units.

Flashcard 8: Which carbohydrate is involved in genetic material composition?

Answer: Ribose in RNA, deoxyribose in DNA. Sugar components form backbone of nucleic acids.

Flashcard 9: Identify the bond formed between carbohydrate molecules.

Answer: Glycosidic bond. Covalent bond linking sugar molecules together.

Flashcard 10: Which carbohydrate is used as a sweetener in the food industry?

Answer: Sucrose. Disaccharide providing sweetness in processed foods.

Flashcard 11: Identify the polysaccharide in the exoskeleton of arthropods.

Answer: Chitin. Modified glucose polymer providing structural support.

Flashcard 12: What is the empirical formula for glucose?

Answer: $C_6H_{12}O_6$. Molecular formula showing glucose composition.

Flashcard 13: Identify the bond formed between carbohydrate molecules.

Answer: Glycosidic bond. Covalent bond linking sugar molecules together.

Flashcard 14: Which polysaccharide is a primary structural component of plant cell walls?

Answer: Cellulose. Made of glucose units linked by beta-1,4 bonds.

Flashcard 15: Which polysaccharide is a primary structural component of plant cell walls?

Answer: Cellulose. Made of glucose units linked by beta-1,4 bonds.

Flashcard 16: What is the major function of cellulose in plants?

Answer: Provides structural support. Forms rigid fibers that maintain plant shape.

Flashcard 17: What is the main form of carbohydrate energy storage in plants?

Answer: Starch. Complex carbohydrate storing glucose for plant energy.

Flashcard 18: What is the main form of carbohydrate energy storage in plants?

Answer: Starch. Complex carbohydrate storing glucose for plant energy.

Flashcard 19: What type of reaction breaks down polysaccharides into monosaccharides?

Answer: Hydrolysis. Water is added to break glycosidic bonds.

Flashcard 20: Which carbohydrate cannot be digested by humans, providing dietary fiber?

Answer: Cellulose. Beta-1,4 bonds cannot be broken by human enzymes.

Flashcard 21: Give an example of a hexose sugar.

Answer: Glucose. Six-carbon sugar that's the main cellular fuel.

Flashcard 22: Which monosaccharide is a component of RNA?

Answer: Ribose. Five-carbon sugar in RNA backbone structure.

Flashcard 23: What is the simplest form of carbohydrates?

Answer: Monosaccharides. Single sugar units that cannot be hydrolyzed further.

Flashcard 24: Which carbohydrate cannot be digested by humans, providing dietary fiber?

Answer: Cellulose. Beta-1,4 bonds cannot be broken by human enzymes.

Flashcard 25: Identify a pentose sugar.

Answer: Ribose. Five-carbon sugar found in RNA structure.

Flashcard 26: Which monosaccharide is an aldose sugar?

Answer: Glucose. Contains an aldehyde functional group at carbon-1.

Flashcard 27: What is the term for carbohydrates with more than two sugar units?

Answer: Polysaccharides. Complex carbohydrates made of many sugar units.

Flashcard 28: What is the empirical formula for glucose?

Answer: $C_6H_{12}O_6$. Molecular formula showing glucose composition.

Flashcard 29: Name a common disaccharide.

Answer: Sucrose. Common table sugar found in many plants.

Flashcard 30: Which test is used to detect the presence of reducing sugars?

Answer: Benedict's test. Color change indicates presence of free aldehyde groups.

Flashcard 31: Name the two monosaccharides that form lactose.

Answer: Glucose and galactose. Forms lactose, the sugar found in milk.

Flashcard 32: What is the term for sugars that can donate electrons to other molecules?

Answer: Reducing sugars. Have free carbonyl groups that can act as electron donors.

Flashcard 33: Identify the polysaccharide in the exoskeleton of arthropods.

Answer: Chitin. Modified glucose polymer providing structural support.

Flashcard 34: What disaccharide is formed from glucose and fructose?

Answer: Sucrose. Common table sugar made by dehydration synthesis.

Flashcard 35: Which enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of starch into maltose?

Answer: Amylase. Breaks alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds in starch.

Flashcard 36: Which monosaccharide is an aldose sugar?

Answer: Glucose. Contains an aldehyde functional group at carbon-1.

Flashcard 37: What is the storage form of energy in animals?

Answer: Glycogen. Branched polymer readily mobilized for quick energy.

Flashcard 38: Which carbohydrate is involved in genetic material composition?

Answer: Ribose in RNA, deoxyribose in DNA. Sugar components form backbone of nucleic acids.

Flashcard 39: What type of reaction breaks down polysaccharides into monosaccharides?

Answer: Hydrolysis. Water is added to break glycosidic bonds.

Flashcard 40: Which polysaccharide serves as a storage form of energy in fungi?

Answer: Glycogen. Also used by fungi for energy storage purposes.

Flashcard 41: What is the structural difference between alpha and beta glucose?

Answer: The position of the OH group on carbon 1. Determines accessibility and digestibility of the sugar.

Flashcard 42: Which carbohydrate is used as a sweetener in the food industry?

Answer: Sucrose. Disaccharide providing sweetness in processed foods.

Flashcard 43: What is the primary component of plant cell walls?

Answer: Cellulose. Beta-glucose polymer providing structural integrity.

Flashcard 44: What is the process of forming a disaccharide from two monosaccharides?

Answer: Dehydration synthesis. Water is removed to form the glycosidic bond.

Flashcard 45: Define monosaccharide.

Answer: A simple sugar with a single sugar unit. Cannot be broken down into smaller sugar units.

Flashcard 46: Which functional groups are present in glucose?

Answer: Hydroxyl and aldehyde. Multiple OH groups and one carbonyl group present.

Flashcard 47: Identify a carbohydrate that is a major component of insect exoskeletons.

Answer: Chitin. Contains nitrogen and provides protective structure.

Flashcard 48: Which polysaccharide serves as a storage form of energy in fungi?

Answer: Glycogen. Also used by fungi for energy storage purposes.

Flashcard 49: What is the structural difference between alpha and beta glucose?

Answer: The position of the OH group on carbon 1. Determines accessibility and digestibility of the sugar.

Flashcard 50: Identify a carbohydrate that is a major component of insect exoskeletons.

Answer: Chitin. Contains nitrogen and provides protective structure.

Flashcard 51: What is a common test for the presence of starch?

Answer: Iodine test. Turns blue-black in presence of starch molecules.

Flashcard 52: Which enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of starch into maltose?

Answer: Amylase. Breaks alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds in starch.

Flashcard 53: What is the simplest form of carbohydrates?

Answer: Monosaccharides. Single sugar units that cannot be hydrolyzed further.

Flashcard 54: What is the role of carbohydrates in cell recognition?

Answer: Act as markers on cell surfaces. Glycoproteins identify cells for immune recognition.

Flashcard 55: What is the primary function of carbohydrates in cells?

Answer: Energy storage and supply. Provides readily available fuel for cellular processes.

Flashcard 56: Define monosaccharide.

Answer: A simple sugar with a single sugar unit. Cannot be broken down into smaller sugar units.

Flashcard 57: What is a common test for the presence of starch?

Answer: Iodine test. Turns blue-black in presence of starch molecules.

Flashcard 58: Which monosaccharide is a component of RNA?

Answer: Ribose. Five-carbon sugar in RNA backbone structure.

Flashcard 59: Which functional groups are present in glucose?

Answer: Hydroxyl and aldehyde. Multiple OH groups and one carbonyl group present.

Flashcard 60: Name a common disaccharide.

Answer: Sucrose. Common table sugar found in many plants.

Flashcard 61: What is the main storage form of carbohydrates in animals?

Answer: Glycogen. Highly branched glucose polymer stored in liver and muscles.

Flashcard 62: What polysaccharide is used by plants to store glucose?

Answer: Starch. Stores glucose units for later energy release.

Flashcard 63: Name a storage polysaccharide found in plants.

Answer: Starch. Made of amylose and amylopectin for energy storage.

Flashcard 64: What is the basic chemical formula for carbohydrates?

Answer: $(CH_2O)_n$. Shows 1:2:1 ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen atoms.

Flashcard 65: Name a carbohydrate that serves as a quick energy source.

Answer: Glucose. Simple sugar rapidly absorbed for immediate energy.

Flashcard 66: What is the role of carbohydrates in cell recognition?

Answer: Act as markers on cell surfaces. Glycoproteins identify cells for immune recognition.

Flashcard 67: Which test is used to detect the presence of reducing sugars?

Answer: Benedict's test. Color change indicates presence of free aldehyde groups.

Flashcard 68: What is the primary component of plant cell walls?

Answer: Cellulose. Beta-glucose polymer providing structural integrity.

Flashcard 69: What is an isomer in the context of carbohydrates?

Answer: Molecules with the same formula but different structures. Different arrangements of atoms create distinct properties.

Flashcard 70: What is the primary function of carbohydrates in cells?

Answer: Energy storage and supply. Provides readily available fuel for cellular processes.

Flashcard 71: Name a carbohydrate that serves as a quick energy source.

Answer: Glucose. Simple sugar rapidly absorbed for immediate energy.

Flashcard 72: What is the major function of cellulose in plants?

Answer: Provides structural support. Forms rigid fibers that maintain plant shape.

Flashcard 73: What polysaccharide is used by plants to store glucose?

Answer: Starch. Stores glucose units for later energy release.

Flashcard 74: Name the two monosaccharides that form lactose.

Answer: Glucose and galactose. Forms lactose, the sugar found in milk.

Flashcard 75: Identify a pentose sugar.

Answer: Ribose. Five-carbon sugar found in RNA structure.

Flashcard 76: What is the function of glycoproteins?

Answer: Cell recognition and signaling. Carbohydrate-protein complexes facilitate cell communication.

Flashcard 77: What is an isomer in the context of carbohydrates?

Answer: Molecules with the same formula but different structures. Different arrangements of atoms create distinct properties.

Flashcard 78: Name a storage polysaccharide found in plants.

Answer: Starch. Made of amylose and amylopectin for energy storage.

Flashcard 79: What is the function of glycoproteins?

Answer: Cell recognition and signaling. Carbohydrate-protein complexes facilitate cell communication.