what are the subunits of starch
glucose and maltose?
Starch is a polysaccharide. The subunit is glucose, a monosaccharide.
The subunits of starch are glucose molecules. Starch is a complex carbohydrate composed of long chains of glucose monomers linked together by glycosidic bonds. These long chains of glucose molecules are called polysaccharides. When it comes to starch, there are two types of polysaccharides present: amylose and amylopectin.
Amylose is a linear chain of glucose units connected by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds. It forms a helical structure. Amylopectin, on the other hand, is a branched chain of glucose units connected by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds, with branching occurring at α-1,6-glycosidic bonds. Amylopectin has a highly branched structure compared to amylose.
To identify the subunits of starch, you can conduct a chemical test called an iodine test. Iodine reacts with starch to form a blue-black complex due to the specific arrangement of glucose molecules in the starch structure. This test is commonly used in laboratories to detect the presence of starch in various substances.