Which term describes a carbohydrate polymer formed by linking many monosaccharides?

Which term describes a carbohydrate polymer formed by linking many monosaccharides?

• A. Monosaccharide
• B. Disaccharide
• C. Polysaccharide
• D. Amino acid

Answer: (C)

A carbohydrate polymer formed by linking many monosaccharides is called a polysaccharide. Monosaccharides are the simple sugar units, and when many of these units join together through glycosidic bonds in a dehydration synthesis, they form long chains that can be straight or branched. Polysaccharides can store energy, like starch in plants or glycogen in animals, or provide structure, like cellulose in plant cell walls. In contrast, a monosaccharide is a single sugar unit, and a disaccharide is made of just two sugar units. An amino acid is a building block of proteins, not a carbohydrate polymer.

A carbohydrate polymer formed by linking many monosaccharides is called a polysaccharide. Monosaccharides are the simple sugar units, and when many of these units join together through glycosidic bonds in a dehydration synthesis, they form long chains that can be straight or branched. Polysaccharides can store energy, like starch in plants or glycogen in animals, or provide structure, like cellulose in plant cell walls. In contrast, a monosaccharide is a single sugar unit, and a disaccharide is made of just two sugar units. An amino acid is a building block of proteins, not a carbohydrate polymer.