Chemistry Biomolecules 4 Marks
Appeared in: 2023 (3 sets)
Carbohydrates are the major components of all living organisms. Sugars are carbohydrates. The major types of sugars include monosaccharides and disaccharides. The main difference between monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides is that monosaccharides are monomer of sugars and disaccharides are composed of two monomers, whereas polysaccharides are composed of a large number of monomers. Monosaccharides are single sugar molecules which act as the building blocks of disaccharides and polysaccharides. Disaccharides are also simple sugars. Disaccharides are classified into two groups according to their reducing strength : Reducing and Non-reducing sugars. When a polymer is formed from a monomer, a condensation reaction occurs that forms a glycosidic bond and water molecule is lost. Starch, glycogen and cellulose are examples of polysaccharides. Starch is found in many parts of plant cell and consists of amylose and amylopectin. Glycogen is the major carbohydrate storage product found in humans. It is present in liver, muscles and brain. Cellulose is the most abundant organic molecule on Earth. It makes up around 50% of all organic carbon.
✓ Verified CBSE Marking Scheme Official Evaluation Steps & EL10 Insight

CBSE Class 12 Chemistry: Carbohydrate Classification and Structure

Question Analysis: Based on the provided text, classify the following as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides and explain the nature of the glycosidic linkage.


Step 1 (Definition & Classification): [1.5 Marks]

  • Monosaccharides: Simplest sugars that cannot be hydrolyzed further (e.g., Glucose, Fructose).
  • Disaccharides: Sugars that yield two molecules of monosaccharides on hydrolysis (e.g., Sucrose, Maltose).
  • Polysaccharides: Complex carbohydrates that yield a large number of monosaccharide units on hydrolysis (e.g., Starch, Cellulose, Glycogen).

Step 2 (Mechanism of Glycosidic Bond Formation): [1.5 Marks]

The formation of a glycosidic bond is a condensation reaction where two monosaccharide units join by the elimination of a water molecule ($H_2O$). The general reaction can be represented as:

$$C_6H_{12}O_6 + C_6H_{12}O_6 \xrightarrow{\text{Condensation}} C_{12}H_{22}O_{11} + H_2O$$

In this process, the hydroxyl ($-OH$) group of one monosaccharide reacts with the anomeric carbon of another, forming an ether linkage ($C-O-C$) known as the glycosidic bond.

Step 3 (Final Conclusion & Identification): [1.0 Mark]

Based on the provided text:

  • Starch, Glycogen, and Cellulose: Classified as Polysaccharides.
  • Reducing/Non-reducing nature: Depends on the presence of a free hemiacetal or hemiketal group. If the anomeric carbon is involved in the glycosidic bond (e.g., in Sucrose), it is a non-reducing sugar.

💡 EL10 Concept Insight: Think of monosaccharides like single LEGO bricks; a disaccharide is two bricks snapped together, and a polysaccharide is a massive, long tower of bricks. When you snap them together, you have to "click" them into place, which is like the glycosidic bond, and a tiny bit of water is squeezed out during that connection!