Since I'm only doing Standard Level Biology, I don't need to know the details and I would prefer a one- or two- sentence answer that will clarify the general differences between starch and cellulose.
I know they have some kind of correlation . . .
Thank you.
2007-09-14 01:13:09 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Starch can be eaten, but cellulose is not digestible by the human body. Starch is broken down into glucose to sustain the body, but the body is not equipped with the enzymes that can break down cellulose into glucose. The enzymes which convert cellulose into glucose are found in the bodies of termites, which feed on wood, and cattle, which eat grass. Cellulose is stronger than starch.
2007-09-14 04:06:51 · answer #1 · answered by WEIRDnik 3 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Starch And Cellulose
2016-11-02 01:42:22 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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RE:
What is the difference between starch and cellulose?
Since I'm only doing Standard Level Biology, I don't need to know the details and I would prefer a one- or two- sentence answer that will clarify the general differences between starch and cellulose.
I know they have some kind of correlation . . .
Thank you.
2015-08-18 20:28:08 · answer #3 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both starch and cellulose are polymers of glucose. That is, they are very large molecules made of glucose linked together into very long chains. The linkage between glucose units in starch is called an "alpha glycosidic linkage" while in cellulose the linkage is a "beta glycosidic linkage". There is a very slight difference between the glucose molecules in the two compounds. That very slight change drastically affects the properties of the two compounds. Starch is somewhat soluble in water and is easily digested by humans and other animals. Cellulose is very insoluble and is not digested.
2007-09-14 01:18:21 · answer #4 · answered by hcbiochem 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Starch and cellulose are polysaccharides means polymer forms of glucose.Both of them can be found in plants and are insoluble in water.Cellulose is a more complex form than starch.Human body enzymes can digest starch into glucose but they can't digest cellulose. Cellulose is egested as feces.
2007-09-14 01:52:01 · answer #5 · answered by Krait 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
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In cellulose the glucose units are linked entirely by beta glycosidic linkage through the 1,4 positions. Cellulose has molecular weights of 1 to 2 million (6000 to 12000 C6 units). Like starch, it yields only glucose on hydrolysis. Most starches are composed of two fractions: amylose and amylopectin in ratios of 1:4 to 1:5. The glucose units in starch are joined by alpha glycosidic linkages in the 1,4 position. The two starch fractions differ markedly in molecular weight. Amylose has m.w. values of 17,000 to 225,000 while amylopectin has m.w. values of 1 to 6 million. While amylose is essentially linear, amylopectin is highly branched, with the branches being joined to other branches by 1,6 alpha linkages.
2016-04-01 04:14:02 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both are polymers of small glucose units.
However, they differ in the way in which the glucose units are linked.
Strach is converted to maltose by maltase.
Cellulose is converted to glucose by enzyme cellulase.(humans do not have cellulase so cellulose is passed out undigested)
2007-09-14 02:28:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the chain of the cellulose is longer
2007-09-14 02:58:53 · answer #8 · answered by IT 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
alpha glycosidic linkage found in starch and beta glycosidic linkage found in cellolose
2015-02-19 05:43:04 · answer #9 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋