Name the molecule from each description…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Name the molecule from each description.
- A polymer of fructose.
- The energy store of animals, with branched chains.
- A polysaccharide that turns blue with iodine.
- The material of plant cell walls and of cotton fibre.
- The polysaccharide in the exoskeleton of an insect.
- A phospholipid found in cell membranes.
- A lipid that stays liquid in winter.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Sucrose is glucose and fructose, lactose is glucose and galactose, maltose is two glucose units. Starch, glycogen and cellulose are chains of glucose; inulin is fructose; chitin is an amino sugar. Starch with iodine is blue. A saturated fatty acid with c carbons is C(c) H(2c) O2, and each double bond removes two hydrogens. With atomic masses C 12, H 1, O 16, palmitic acid is 256 Da. Fats and oils are glycerides; lecithin is a phospholipid. Joining units releases one water at each join.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) Inulin.
Step 2. (b) Glycogen.
Step 3. (c) Starch.
Step 4. (d) Cellulose.
Step 5. (e) Chitin.
Step 6. (f) Lecithin.
Step 7. (g) An oil, such as gingelly oil.
Answer: (a) inulin; (b) glycogen; (c) starch; (d) cellulose; (e) chitin; (f) lecithin; (g) an oil.
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