Question
why does your body need to break down starch into glucose?
Starch contains more energy than glucose.
Starch molecules are too large to diffuse into cells.
Glucose molecules are larger than starch molecules.
Starch contains more energy than glucose.
Starch molecules are too large to diffuse into cells.
Glucose molecules are larger than starch molecules.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
Correct answer: Starch molecules are too large to diffuse into cells.
Explanation:
- Starch is a polymer made of many glucose units linked together, so the whole molecule is too big to pass through cell membranes or be absorbed in the gut. Digestive enzymes (e.g., amylase, then maltase) break starch down into single glucose molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and taken up by cells.
- The first statement is misleading: starch doesn’t provide more usable energy per glucose unit than glucose does — it’s just many glucose units joined together. The energy comes from metabolizing glucose (via glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation) inside cells.
- The third statement is false: glucose molecules are much smaller than starch polymers.
Explanation:
- Starch is a polymer made of many glucose units linked together, so the whole molecule is too big to pass through cell membranes or be absorbed in the gut. Digestive enzymes (e.g., amylase, then maltase) break starch down into single glucose molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and taken up by cells.
- The first statement is misleading: starch doesn’t provide more usable energy per glucose unit than glucose does — it’s just many glucose units joined together. The energy comes from metabolizing glucose (via glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation) inside cells.
- The third statement is false: glucose molecules are much smaller than starch polymers.
There are no human answers yet. A form for humans to post answers is coming very soon!