Plants

• What is the function of the cell wall?

  Prevents the cell from bursting and provides turgor pressure, allowing the cell to stand upright
• What is the cellulose structure like?

  • made up of beta glucose with 1-4 glycosidic bonds
  • alternate monomers are alternated during condensation reactions
  • there is hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups in adjacent chains, leading to microfibrils being formed
• How are the microfibrils arranged in cellulose?

  Parallel in different angles with the microfibril mesh embedded in a matrix of hemicellulose, increasing cellulose's tensile strength
• What are the similarities between cellulose and starch?

  • both polysacchrides
  • both undergo condensation reactions
• What are some differences between cellulose and starch?

  • Starch is branched but cellulose isn't
  • Starch is coiled but cellulose is a straight chain
  • Starch is used as a storage organ but cellulose is used for strength and support
  • Cellulose- has secondary bonding, Starch- doesn't
  • Starch- alpha glucose, Cellulose- beta glucose