What building blocks are starches made of?

What is the difference between sugar and starch?

What term describes the size of a starch?

What molecule has to be added to a starch to break it down?

To answer your questions, let's start by understanding starches.

1. Building Blocks of Starches:
Starches are complex carbohydrates made up of simple sugar molecules called glucose. The building blocks of starch are glucose molecules joined together. These glucose molecules are linked through specific chemical bonds known as glycosidic bonds.

2. Difference between Sugar and Starch:
Sugar and starch are both carbohydrates, but they have different structures and functions. Sugar refers to simple carbohydrates, such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. These molecules consist of one or two sugar units and are typically sweet-tasting. Starch, on the other hand, is a complex carbohydrate made up of multiple glucose units joined together in long chains. Starches serve as a storage form of energy in plants.

3. Term Describing the Size of Starch:
The term used to describe the size of a starch molecule is "macromolecule." Starch is considered a macromolecule because it contains a large number of glucose units bonded together in a long chain. These chains can be branched or unbranched, forming a complex structure.

4. Molecule to Break Down Starch:
The molecule required to break down starch is an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is produced in various organisms, ranging from plants to animals. In the human body, amylase is secreted by salivary glands and pancreas. It breaks down starch into smaller sugar units, such as maltose and glucose, through a process called hydrolysis. This allows the body to digest and utilize the energy stored in starch.