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"Which of the following do starch and cellulose have in common?

A. the type of glycosidic linkage used
B. the size of their monosaccharide subunits
C.the amount of hydrogen bonding that occurs between parallel strands
D. their main function in plants"

2 Answers

5 votes

Final answer:

Starch and cellulose both have glucose as their monosaccharide subunits. Starch, composed of amylose and amylopectin, is less rigid than cellulose, which has ß-1,4 glycosidic linkages and is used as a structural component in plant cell walls.

Step-by-step explanation:

The commonality between starch and cellulose lies in the size of their monosaccharide subunits. Both are polysaccharides composed of glucose units. However, they do have differences: cellulose is formed by ß-1,4 glycosidic linkages making it rigid, whereas starch contains α-1,4 and α-1,6 glycosidic linkages which are less rigid. Additionally, starch is composed of amylose, which is unbranched, and amylopectin, which is branched, contributing to its function as a storage form of energy in plants. In contrast, cellulose serves as a structural component of the plant cell wall

User Jpolete
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4 votes

Final answer:

Starch and cellulose both have the size of their monosaccharide subunits in common, as they are composed of glucose units, but they differ in their glycosidic linkages and functions within the plant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question focuses on the similarities between starch and cellulose, which are both polysaccharides found in plants. While these two substances have different roles in plants and different types of glycosidic linkages, one similarity they share is the size of their monosaccharide subunits. Both are made up of glucose units. Starch is a plant's storage form of glucose and contains two types of molecules: amylose, which is unbranched with α-1,4 glycosidic linkages, and amylopectin, which is branched with both α-1,4 and α-1,6 linkages. On the other hand, cellulose is a structural component found in plant cell walls and consists of a linear chain of glucose molecules linked by β-1,4 glycosidic linkages.

User Eric Tobia
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8.4k points