EQ - Topic 1 : Lifestyle, Health and Risk

Sweating is a thermoregulatory mechanism.

A student stated that loss of heat when sweating is related to the dipole nature of water molecules.

Justify this statement.

Explain how the properties of water make it an ideal transport medium. (3)

Explain how the structures of amylopectin and glycogen make them suitable for storing energy. (3)

Explain how the structure of glycogen relates to it’s role as an energy storage molecule

• its is branched so many terminal glucose molecules are broken down at tje same time (rapid hydrolysis)

• it is a polysaccharide therefore has a high energy content

• large molecule therefore insoluble - has no osmotic effect

Most human cells use carbohydrate as a source of energy

Explain why glycogen release energy more slowly than glucose

• glycogen is a polysaccharide

• therefore the glycosidic bonds need to be broken

Compare and contrast the structure of cellulose and amylopectin

• both are polysaccharides

• both have 1-4 glycosidic bonds

• cellulose consists of beta-glucose whilst amylopectin consists of alpha-glucose molecules

• amylopectin has 1-4 and 1-6 glycosidic bonds whilst cellulose only has 1-4 glycosidic bonds