Chitin is

A

Insoluble in water

B

Resistant to acids and alkalies

C

Insoluble in most organic solvents

D

All the above

Text Solution

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The correct Answer is:
**Step-by-Step Text Solution:** 1. **Definition of Chitin**: Chitin is a linear homopolysaccharide composed of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues linked by beta linkages. 2. **Chemical Structure**: The structure of chitin is similar to cellulose, with the key difference being that in chitin, a hydroxyl group at carbon 2 is replaced by an acetylated amino group. 3. **Relation to Chitosan**: When chitin is deacetylated, it forms chitosan, which has different properties compared to chitin. 4. **Biological Significance**: Chitin serves as the principal component of the hard exoskeletons of arthropods, including insects, lobsters, and crabs. This makes it crucial for their structural integrity. 5. **Abundance in Nature**: Chitin is considered the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, following cellulose. 6. **Properties of Chitin**: - It is **insoluble in water**. - It is **resistant to acids and alkalis**. - It is **insoluble in most organic solvents**. 7. **Conclusion**: Given these properties, the correct answer to the question about chitin is "all the above," as all the mentioned characteristics are true for chitin. ---
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