Question

Carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, fruit, and sugar are digested to release energy. Due to their structure, complex carbohydrates are broken down more slowly than simple carbohydrates.



Which of the following carbohydrates would be digested fastest by the cell and why?



A.
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A monosaccharide because it has the fewest chemical bonds which increases the rate of digestion.

B.
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A disaccharide because it contains many hydrogen atoms which increases the rate of digestion.

C.
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A disaccharide because it contains more chemical bonds which increases the rate of digestion.

D.
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A polysaccharide because it contains many oxygen atoms which increase the rate of digestion.

Answer 1

A. A monosaccharide because it has the fewest chemical bonds which increases the rate of digestion.

Monosaccharides (e.g. glucose) are single sugar units and require no enzymatic cleavage, so they are absorbed and used fastest. Disaccharides and polysaccharides must be hydrolyzed into monosaccharides first, which slows digestion.