Question

Describe the structure and function of cellulose. Select the true statements.
The long, parallel polymer chains in cellulose provide structure for cell walls.
Cellulose is easily digested by most animals.
Cellulose contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Cellulose is made from many units of the monosaccharide glucose.

Answer 1

True statements: 1, 3, and 4.

Brief explanation:
- Structure: Cellulose is a linear polymer of β‑D‑glucose units joined by β‑1,4 glycosidic bonds (formula (C6H10O5)n). The straight chains lie parallel and are held together by extensive hydrogen bonding to form strong microfibrils.
- Function: Those long, hydrogen‑bonded polymer chains give cellulose high tensile strength and make it the main structural component of plant cell walls (and of some algae/bacterial cell walls).
- Digestion: Most animals cannot digest cellulose because they lack the enzyme cellulase that breaks β‑1,4 linkages; some herbivores (ruminants, termites, certain insects) digest cellulose with the help of symbiotic microbes.
- Composition: As a carbohydrate, cellulose contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and is built from many glucose monomers.