Unit01-Biochemistry-Carbohydrates


 * Carbohydrates** are organic(carbon based) compounds consisting only of carbons, hydrogens and oxygens arranged in a 1:2:1 ratio respectivly. Carbohydates primary function in the cell is the storage of energy by utilizing the chemical energy captured when you bind two sugars together. When this chemical bond is broken, the energy is released! How the chain of sugars is arranged widly depends on the organism and its need for different degrees of energy release. For example, in plants the primary carbohydrate is starch. When a starch molecule is being constructed, all of the glucose molecules are oriented in the same direction in a straight chain with no forks or branches. This arrangement allows only for a slow and monitered release of energy, which is what plants need comparitivly to animals whose carbohydrates (cellulose and glycogen) arrange themselve with many branches and are not oriented in the same direction. This formation allows for fast releases of energy when needed.

Important Carbohydrates in Biology:

glucose:

sucrose: (Alpha bonds form down and beta bonds form up between sugars, and also glycocitic bonds form from carbon 1 to carbon 4.)

Cellulose:

Starch:

glycogen:

http://quizlet.com/61616/ap-biology-carbohydratespolysaccharides-flash-cards/
 * Notecards for carbs and polysaccharides**