What makes cellulose different from starch?

Answer 1

You can eat starch, but you can't digest cellulose. Your body contains enzymes that will break starch down into glucose to fuel your body. But we humans don't have enzymes that can break down cellulose. Some animals do, like termites, who eat wood, or cattle, who eat grass, and break down cellulose in their four-chambered stomachs. So unless you're a termite or a cow, don't try to nourish yourself on woodchips.

Cellulose is a lot stronger than starch. Starch is practically useless as a material, but celluose is strong enough to make fibers from, and hence rope, clothing, etc. Cellulose doesn't dissolve in water the way starch will, and doesn't break down as easily. Breaking down or dissolving in water just would be a little too inconvenient for something we use to make clothes. Not to mention, a good soaking rain would wash away all the wooden houses, park benches, and playground equipment if cellulose were soluble in water.

Answer 2

cellulose has beta1-4 linkages and is not branched and has only one reducing end so it is much harder to break down hence why it is used for structure. and starch is highly branched and has many reducing ends, it is made of alpha 1-4 and alpha 1-6 linkages. The alpha 1-6 give the branching leading to many reducing ends which is why it is used for storage

Answer 3

Cellulose (C6H12O5)is a tough, fibrous material made from polysaccharide (carbohydrate) chains. It is used by plants to make cellular walls. Starch is another type of polysaccharide that is used by plants to store glucose.

Answer 4

starch:all the glucse repeat unites

cellulose:units is rotated 180 degress around the axis

human can not digest cellulose but animals e.g ruminants can digest it

Answer 5

starch-breaks down into maltose then glucose.

cellulose-breaks down into glucose with no intermediate.