PROBLEM SET
Carbohydrates
These questions and activities come from a variety of sources: your textbook, other books that I have, study guides,
and old homeworks, labs, and exams. They are provided to give you an idea of the types of questions you can expect
to see on exams. These are not to be turned in for a grade, though I am happy to go over your answers with you.
Important Vocabulary Terms: Write out definitions for each of the following terms:
a. carbohydrate
b. monosaccharide
c. pentose
d. hexose
e. disaccharide
f. glycosidic bond
g. oligosaccharide
h. polysaccharide
i. starch
j.
glycogen
k. cellulose
l. chitin
Multiple Choice: Select the best answer from the choices provided:
1. What structural difference accounts for the functional differences between starch and
cellulose?
A. Starch can be digested by animal enzymes, whereas cellulose cannot.
B. Starch is a polymer of glucose, whereas cellulose is a polymer of fructose.
C. Starch and cellulose differ in the glycosidic linkages between their glucose monomers.
2. Which of the following categories includes all others in the list?
A. starch
B. polysaccharide
C. disaccharide
D. monosaccharide
E. carbohydrate
3. The molecular formula for glucose is C6H12O6. What would be the molecular formula for a
polymer made by linking ten glucose molecules together by dehydration reactions?
A. C60H102O51
B. C60H102O51
C. C6H12O6
D. C60H120O60
E. C60H100O50
Additional problems: Write your answers in the spaces provided.
1. Match the following carbohydrate-related terms with the number of monomers found in
each.
____ oligosaccharide
A. 1
____ monosaccharide
B. 2
____ polysaccharide
C. 3-20
____ disaccharide
D. more than 20
2. Write the chemical formula for a monosaccharide that has three carbons. ________________
3. In the space below, draw β-glucose in its ring form. When you are finished, number the
carbon atoms. On your structure, circle and label the hydroxyl group on carbon-2.
4. How would you alter this chemical structure to show α-glucose?
5. Write out the chemical reaction in which glucose and fructose form sucrose.
•
What are the reactants of this reaction?
•
What type of reaction is this (i.e., what is its name)?
•
What are the products of this reaction? (Note: there are two products.)
6. A dehydration reaction joins two glucose molecules to form maltose. The formula for glucose
is C6H12O6. What is the chemical formula for maltose?
7. Circle the atoms of these two glucose molecules that will be removed by a dehydration
reaction. Then draw the resulting maltose molecule below.
8. In the figure above (Fig. 5.5, p. 71, in your textbook), number all of the carbons that are
present. Show how the numbering is consistent with the name of the glycosidic linkage in
each disaccharide.
9. Compare the composition, structure, and function of starch and cellulose. What role do
starch and cellulose play in the human body?
10. Complete the table below for the four main classes of carbohydrates.
Class
# Monomers
General Function(s)
Example
11. Take the following list of carbohydrates and classify them as either monosaccharides,
disaccharides, or polysaccharides:
a. galactose
_______________________
b. glucose
_______________________
c. cellulose
_______________________
d. sucrose
_______________________
e. fructose
_______________________
f. glycogen
_______________________
g. maltose
_______________________
h. chitin
_______________________
i. galactose
_______________________
j.
_______________________
starch
and
and
and
examples
examples
general
formula
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to form
found in
function as
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Classified by # of monosaccharides
linked together by
composed of
CARBOHYDRATES
differ due to
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examples
12. Use the terms that were introduced in lecture
to complete this concept map. An answer key
can be found in the Carbohydrates folder in the
Files section of Canvas.