Polysaccharides - Prior knowledge - Exercises

7 important questions on Polysaccharides - Prior knowledge - Exercises

Which ones are structural and which ones are physical/chemical properties?

  • The water binding capacity
  • The degree of polymerization (DP)
  • Substitution of the monosaccharide units (methylation, acetylation or sulphation)
  • Branching pattern
  • Solubility in water
  • Viscosity caused by the polysaccharide
  • Kind of monosaccharide units from which the polysaccharide is built up
  • Conformation of the monosaccharide units (α or β)
  • Digestibility of the polysaccharide
  • The presence of charged groups
  • Nature of the glyosidic linkage (for instance 1,4 or 1,6) and the arrangement of these different linkages in the polymer

  • The water binding capacity --> physical/chemical
  • The degree of polymerization (DP) --> structural
  • Substitution of the monosaccharide units (methylation, acetylation or sulphation) --> structural
  • Branching pattern --> structural
  • Solubility in water --> physical/chemical
  • Viscosity caused by the polysaccharide --> physical/chemical
  • Kind of monosaccharide units from which the polysaccharide is built up  --> structural
  • Conformation of the monosaccharide units (α or β) --> structural
  • Digestibility of the polysaccharide --> physical/chemical
  • The presence of charged groups --> structural
  • Nature of the glyosidic linkage (for instance 1,4 or 1,6) and the arrangement of these different linkages in the polymer --> structural

What are starch syrups?

Starch syrups are starches that have had enzymatic/acidic hydrolysis. They are composed of glucose and malto-oligosaccharides (maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose)

Does this dissolve?
180 g sucrose (20 degrees, 2100 g/L water) at 20 degrees in 100 mL water

Fully dissolved
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Does this dissolve?
30 g lactose (25 degrees, 195 g/L water) at 20 degrees in 100 mL water

Some crystallization

What is different in the solubility of sucrose and lactose?

The solubility of sucrose is not much dependent on the temperature, the solubility of lactose is.

Which properties of polysaccharides play a role in viscosity?

  • Degree of polymerisation --> higher DP is higher viscosity
  • Linear/branched --> linear higher viscosity
  • Charge --> charged higher viscosity

How can a polysaccharide form a gel?

  • Macromolecules turn and fold
  • Polysaccharides associate
  • Loops/junction-zones/double helixes are formed
  • When there are enough knots a 3-D network will arise
  • Water is retained in this network: a gel

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

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