Biology HL
Biology HL
4
Chapters
553
Notes
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence
Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Theme D - Continuity & Change
IB Resources
Theme B - Form & Function
Biology HL
Biology HL

Theme B - Form & Function

Unlocking Cellulose Plant's Structural Powerhouse

Word Count Emoji
431 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

What is cellulose? 🍃

  • Just like its buddies, starch and glycogen, cellulose is made of glucose. But, it's a tad bit different – it’s the cooler cousin made of β-glucose, while starch and glycogen are made of α-glucose.
  • Think of glucose as Lego blocks. Just like how you can stack Lego in different ways, glucose can form different structures based on its type.

How is cellulose structured? 📏

  • Linking up!: Condensation reactions (when molecules join & water is produced) link a free β-glucose’s C1 to C4 of another at the end of the growing cellulose chain.
  • Bond type: All the bonds holding the glucose together in cellulose are 1→4 glycosidic bonds, meaning it's a straight chain. No curly-wurly branches here!
  • Size Matters: A single cellulose molecule can have over 10,000 β-glucose molecules! Each β-glucose is about 1nm, so one cellulose molecule can be more than 10µm long!

The cool twist in cellulose 🔄

  • In β-glucose, the –OH group at C1 faces up and at C4, it faces down. To link them, every new β-glucose added turns upside down compared to the previous one. It's like a dance where every other person is doing a headstand!
  • Result? Alternating β-glucose units facing up and down.
  • Now, α-glucose in starch is like a curly slide (helix), but because of this upside-down dance, cellulose β-glucose remains straight.

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IB Resources
Theme B - Form & Function
Biology HL
Biology HL

Theme B - Form & Function

Unlocking Cellulose Plant's Structural Powerhouse

Word Count Emoji
431 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

What is cellulose? 🍃

  • Just like its buddies, starch and glycogen, cellulose is made of glucose. But, it's a tad bit different – it’s the cooler cousin made of β-glucose, while starch and glycogen are made of α-glucose.
  • Think of glucose as Lego blocks. Just like how you can stack Lego in different ways, glucose can form different structures based on its type.

How is cellulose structured? 📏

  • Linking up!: Condensation reactions (when molecules join & water is produced) link a free β-glucose’s C1 to C4 of another at the end of the growing cellulose chain.
  • Bond type: All the bonds holding the glucose together in cellulose are 1→4 glycosidic bonds, meaning it's a straight chain. No curly-wurly branches here!
  • Size Matters: A single cellulose molecule can have over 10,000 β-glucose molecules! Each β-glucose is about 1nm, so one cellulose molecule can be more than 10µm long!

The cool twist in cellulose 🔄

  • In β-glucose, the –OH group at C1 faces up and at C4, it faces down. To link them, every new β-glucose added turns upside down compared to the previous one. It's like a dance where every other person is doing a headstand!
  • Result? Alternating β-glucose units facing up and down.
  • Now, α-glucose in starch is like a curly slide (helix), but because of this upside-down dance, cellulose β-glucose remains straight.

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Biology HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟