Final answer:
The polymer composed of simple sugars is known as a polysaccharide, with starch (option B) being the correct answer. Starch is a polymer of glucose monomer units, which are simple sugars, different from proteins which are polymers of amino acids.
Step-by-step explanation:
A polymer composed of simple sugars is known as a polysaccharide. Among the options provided, the correct answer is B) starch. Starch is a polymer that is composed of many glucose monomer units.
It is important to differentiate between different types of biological macromolecules. Proteins, which are also polymers, are made from amino acid monomers linked together by peptide bonds forming long chains. On the other hand, polysaccharides like starch are made from simple sugar molecules—specifically monosaccharides such as glucose—linked together by glycosidic bonds.
Starch is used by plants as a way to store energy and is found in various staple foods consumed by humans, like corn, rice, and potatoes. This makes starch a vital component of the human diet and an energy source. Thus, option B) starch is a polymer composed of simple sugars, or more technically, glucose monomers.