Do now:

5 mins]
Polysaccharides Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Learning Objectives:
•Know the difference between monosaccharides,
disaccharides and polysaccharides, including glycogen
and starch.
•Explain how monosaccharides join to form
polysaccharides through condensation reactions forming
glycosidic bonds, and how these can be split through
hydrolysis reactions.
•Relate the structures of monosaccharides,
disaccharides and polysaccharides to their roles in
providing and storing energy for metabolic activities.
AS Specification reference no.1.2

Keywords:
amylose, amylopectin, glycogen, starch, cellulose,
oligosaccharides, ATP, hydrolysis
Starter: literacy - recall Wednesday, December 13, 2023
In pairs:
Describe with the aid of a diagram how glycosidic bonds are
formed and broken in living organisms.
-Show how maltose is formed and broken down and describe
the process (8 marks)
Success criteria:
•I have drawn the monosaccharides that maltose is formed from
•I have shown and described how bonds are formed by stating the name of
the atoms/groups involved in the reaction
•I have stated the name of the type of reaction involved
•I have shown and described how bonds are broken
•I have shown that it’s a reversible reaction
•I have labeled and described the bond formed when maltose is made
•I have included the names of all reactants and products

Need help? Student book page 9, Rev guide, pg. 22

Tips:
•Make sure to point out to the examiner what is
happening.
•Use labels.
•Make it obvious!
 What are polysaccharides?
Polysaccharides are polymers containing many
_______________ linked by____________ __________.
Like disaccharides, polysaccharides are formed
by_____________ __________.
They do not have a sweet taste

Polysaccharides are mainly used as an ________ ______

and as ________ components of cells.
The major polysaccharides are ________ and ________ in
plants, and __________ in animals.

energy store glycosidic bonds structural

condensation reactions monosaccharides

 Some key word terminology…
Molecules with between 3 and 10 sugar units are known as
oligosaccharides while molecules containing 11 or more
monosaccharides are know as polysaccharides (e.g.
amylose, cellulose, glycogen).
The glycosidic bonds in the polysaccharide can be broken down
to release monosaccharide units for cellular respiration.
Which key word is used to describe the process by which the
glycosidic bond between glucose units is split?

Well done! – HYDROLYSIS

Now, write down the definition for this key word
 Polysaccharides - Starch

Starch consists of long chains of  glucose units

and is a mixture of 2 compounds:
1.Amylose
2.Amylopectin

Task 3
Describe the structure of both compounds and
Outline/highlight at least 3 similarities and 4 differences

(you could represent this information more clearly in a table; ref pg 12 coursebook)

Amylose coils
 Polysaccharides - Starch
The structure of polysaccharides make them ideal as
energy storage molecules within a cell. This is because:

Task 2:
Create a 2 column table and match the
properties of starch to their functions e.g. they are ….. so …..

so have almost no effect on water potential within a cell

They can form very compact molecules

They are not very soluble in water

so they don’t interfere with the other functions of the cell

They are physically and chemically inactive

and cause no osmotic movements

so they take up little space
 Polysaccharides - Starch
The structure of polysaccharides make them ideal as energy
storage molecules within a cell. This is because:

•They can form very compact molecules which take up little

space

•They are physically and chemically inactive, so they don’t

interfere with the other functions of the cell

•They are not very soluble in water, so have almost no effect on

water potential within a cell and cause no osmotic movements
 Properties and uses of starch
Starch is the major carbohydrate storage molecule in plants.
It is usually stored as starch
grains in organelles called
plastids.
Plastids include green
chloroplasts (e.g. in leaves)
and colourless amyloplasts
(e.g. in potatoes).
Storage organs such as sweet
potato are yams are rich
sources of starch.
Starch is produced from glucose made during photosynthesis.
It is broken down during respiration to provide energy and is
also a source of carbon for producing other molecules.
 What is glycogen?
Animals do not store carbohydrate as starch but as glycogen.
Glycogen has a similar
structure to amylopectin, containing many
more alpha 1–6 glycosidic bonds that
produce an even more side branches.

Glycogen is less dense and more soluble than

starch, and is broken down more rapidly than
starch because of the many sides branches.

This makes glycogen an ideal source of glucose for animals which may
require rapid release of energy at times of high activity levels e.g sprinting,
lifting weights.

Glycogen is stored as small granules, particularly in muscles and liver.

Applied biology:
How important is glycogen for the performance of the athletes
taking part in the Fifa World Cup competitions this year?
Interesting facts
 Plenary – choose a letter!

A F
Which
Name the bond
carbohydrate
between
has a linear
carbohydrates
structure?

D I
What type Which
of glycosidic monosaccharide
bond is found s make up

B
in amylose? lactose?

G
What is the What
storage disaccharide is
polysaccharide made when
in plants? glucose and

E
fructose join?

J
What C
reaction Structure of
joins glucose amylopectin?

C
molecules.

H
What is the What type of
reaction glucose
breaking molecules
carbohydrate make up
bonds?
starch?
Progress check: AO1 Students to complete for H/W
Please remember to remove answers before
uploading unto your class team page
Progress check: AO2
Progress check: AO2