Question

In what polysaccharide does a redwood tree store its energy?

Answer 1

Plants use solar energy, carbon dioxide and water to produce their own food i.e glucose which provides the necessary energy. This glucose is stored in plants as a complex polysaccharide known as Starch. When there is a need for energy, the starch is broken down into glucose molecules and then energy is produced with the help of mitochondria.

Glucose-- Glucose is known as the simplest carbohydrate. It is a monosaccharide with the chemical formula C₆H₁₂O_6. Glucose, as well as other monosaccharide molecules, join with each other to form more complex structures such as polysaccharides.

Starch- Starch is a complex carbohydrate made up of glucose molecules joined with each other via glycosidic linkages forming polypeptide. Amylose and amylopectin are the two types of starch found in nature. Amylose is unbranched and the glucose molecules are joined together by the alpha 1,4 glycosidic linkage whereas, amylopectins are branched the glucose molecules are joined by alpha 1,6 glycosidic linkage.