BRAINCAKEPolysaccharides
Polysaccharides are polymers made of many monosaccharide monomers joined by condensation reactions. Each condensation reaction removes a molecule of water and forms a glycosidic bond between two monosaccharides.
Starch, glycogen and cellulose are polysaccharides of glucose. Starch and glycogen are made of α-glucose and act as energy stores in plants and animals respectively. Cellulose is made of β-glucose and is a structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls.
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Key terms in this lesson
- polymer
- A large molecule made of many repeating monomer units joined together by covalent bonds.
- condensation reaction
- A reaction that joins two molecules together with a covalent bond, with the elimination of a water molecule.
- hydrolysis
- The breaking of a covalent bond within a molecule using a water molecule.
- monosaccharide
- The monomer from which larger carbohydrates are made, a simple sugar such as glucose.
More in Biological Molecules
- Monosaccharides
- Test for Reducing Sugars
- Disaccharides
- Test for Non-reducing Sugars
- Starch
- Test for Starch
- Glycogen
- Cellulose
All 29 lessons in Biological Molecules · All AQA AS-level Biology topics