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Carbohydrates quiz #1 Flashcards

Carbohydrates quiz #1
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  • What is the general chemical formula for carbohydrates, and what does it indicate about their composition?
    The general formula for carbohydrates is Cn(H2O)n, indicating that they are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio similar to hydrated carbon.
  • What are monosaccharides, and what are their key characteristics?
    Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates; they are water-soluble, sweet-tasting, crystalline solids that serve as monomers for polysaccharides.
  • How are polysaccharides formed from monosaccharides?
    Polysaccharides are formed by covalently linking monosaccharides through glycosidic bonds.
  • What is the main function of carbohydrates in living organisms?
    Carbohydrates primarily serve as a short-term energy source in living organisms.
  • What is the chemical formula of glucose, and what type of carbohydrate is it?
    Glucose has the chemical formula C6H12O6 and is a monosaccharide.
  • What are glycosidic bonds?
    Glycosidic bonds are covalent bonds that link monosaccharide units together in polysaccharides.
  • Name three examples of polysaccharides and their primary functions.
    Starch (energy storage in plants), glycogen (energy storage in animals), and cellulose (structural component in plant cell walls).
  • What is the difference between the functions of starch and cellulose?
    Starch is used for energy storage in plants, while cellulose provides structural support in plant cell walls.
  • What is the role of glycogen in animals?
    Glycogen serves as the main energy storage polysaccharide in animals.
  • What are the structural polysaccharides found in fungi and arthropods, and what are their functions?
    Chitin is found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and cell walls of fungi, providing structural support.
  • What is peptidoglycan, and where is it found?
    Peptidoglycan is a structural polysaccharide found in bacterial cell walls.
  • How do carbohydrates contribute to the structure of nucleic acids?
    Carbohydrates, specifically pentose sugars, are essential components of nucleotides, which make up nucleic acids.
  • What are glycoproteins and glycolipids?
    Glycoproteins are proteins with covalently attached carbohydrate chains, and glycolipids are lipids with attached carbohydrate chains.
  • What is the significance of the suffix '-ose' in carbohydrate names?
    The suffix '-ose' indicates that the molecule is a sugar or carbohydrate.
  • What is the structural difference between linear and cyclic forms of glucose?
    Linear glucose has an open-chain structure, while cyclic glucose forms a ring due to a reaction between a hydroxyl group and the carbonyl group.
  • Why are monosaccharides considered polyalcohols?
    Monosaccharides contain multiple hydroxyl (–OH) groups, making them polyalcohols.
  • What is the function of hydroxyl groups in monosaccharides?
    Hydroxyl groups increase solubility in water and participate in forming glycosidic bonds.
  • How do polysaccharides differ from proteins and nucleic acids in terms of directionality?
    Polysaccharides lack directionality, unlike proteins and nucleic acids, which have defined ends.
  • What is the main structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls?
    Cellulose is the main structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls.
  • What is the main energy storage polysaccharide in plants?
    Starch is the main energy storage polysaccharide in plants.
  • What is the main energy storage polysaccharide in animals?
    Glycogen is the main energy storage polysaccharide in animals.
  • What is chitin, and what organisms use it for structural support?
    Chitin is a structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and cell walls of fungi.
  • How are carbohydrates involved in the formation of nucleotides?
    Carbohydrates provide the pentose sugar component of nucleotides.
  • What is a glycoprotein, and what is its structure?
    A glycoprotein is a molecule consisting of a protein with one or more covalently attached carbohydrate chains.
  • What is a glycolipid, and what is its structure?
    A glycolipid is a molecule consisting of a lipid with one or more covalently attached carbohydrate chains.
  • What is the function of peptidoglycan in bacteria?
    Peptidoglycan provides structural support to bacterial cell walls.
  • What is the function of chitin in fungi?
    Chitin provides structural support in the cell walls of fungi.
  • What is the function of chitin in arthropods?
    Chitin forms the hard exoskeleton of arthropods such as insects and crabs.
  • What is the role of carbohydrates in glycoproteins and glycolipids?
    Carbohydrates in glycoproteins and glycolipids contribute to cell recognition, signaling, and structural integrity.
  • What is the significance of glucose in metabolism?
    Glucose is a primary energy source for most living organisms.
  • What is the difference between starch and glycogen?
    Starch is the energy storage polysaccharide in plants, while glycogen serves this role in animals.
  • What is the main component of the exoskeleton of insects and crustaceans?
    Chitin is the main component of the exoskeleton of insects and crustaceans.
  • What is the main carbohydrate found in DNA nucleotides?
    Deoxyribose, a pentose sugar, is the main carbohydrate in DNA nucleotides.
  • What is the main carbohydrate found in RNA nucleotides?
    Ribose, a pentose sugar, is the main carbohydrate in RNA nucleotides.
  • How do glycosidic bonds form between monosaccharides?
    Glycosidic bonds form through a condensation reaction between hydroxyl groups of two monosaccharides.
  • What is the importance of carbohydrate branching in glycoproteins?
    Branching increases the structural complexity and functional diversity of glycoproteins.
  • What is the role of carbohydrates in cell recognition?
    Carbohydrates on glycoproteins and glycolipids serve as recognition sites for cell-cell interactions.
  • What is the function of hydroxyl groups in carbohydrate solubility?
    Hydroxyl groups make carbohydrates highly soluble in water.
  • What is the relationship between carbohydrates and energy storage?
    Carbohydrates like starch and glycogen store energy for later use in plants and animals, respectively.
  • What is the function of cellulose in plants?
    Cellulose provides structural support to plant cell walls.