What are polysaccharide?

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Definition of Polysaccharides**:
Polysaccharides, also known as polycarbohydrates, are a type of carbohydrate that consists of long chains of monosaccharide units.

2. **Structure**:
They are polymeric in nature, meaning they are made up of many repeating units (monosaccharides) linked together.

3. **Composition**:
The monosaccharide units in polysaccharides are connected by glycosidic linkages. This is a type of covalent bond formed between the hydroxyl group of one monosaccharide and the anomeric carbon of another.

4. **Hydrolysis**:
Polysaccharides can be broken down into their constituent monosaccharides through a process called hydrolysis, which often requires the enzyme amylase as a catalyst.

5. **Examples**:
Some common examples of polysaccharides include:
- **Starch**: A storage form of energy in plants.
- **Glycogen**: A storage form of energy in animals.
- **Cellulose**: A structural component of plant cell walls.
- **Chitin**: A structural component in the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi.