Cellobiose, the hydrolytic breakdown product of cellulose is

Options

A. A monosaccharide
B. A disaccharide
C. A tetrasaccharide
D. A trisaccharide.

Answer

To determine what cellobiose is, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the context of the question
The question asks about cellobiose, specifically identifying it as the hydrolytic breakdown product of cellulose.

**Hint:** Remember that hydrolysis refers to the chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water.

### Step 2: Define cellulose
Cellulose is a complex carbohydrate (polysaccharide) made up of long chains of glucose units linked together. It is a major component of plant cell walls.

**Hint:** Consider the structure of cellulose and how it is formed from simpler sugars.

### Step 3: Identify the breakdown product
When cellulose undergoes hydrolysis, it breaks down into smaller units. The simplest unit that results from the hydrolysis of cellulose is cellobiose.

**Hint:** Think about what happens to polysaccharides when they are broken down.

### Step 4: Classify cellobiose
Cellobiose is composed of two glucose molecules linked together. Therefore, it is classified as a disaccharide.

**Hint:** Recall the definitions of different types of carbohydrates: monosaccharides (1 unit), disaccharides (2 units), oligosaccharides (3-10 units), and polysaccharides (more than 10 units).

### Step 5: Confirm the properties of cellobiose
Cellobiose is a reducing sugar, which means it can donate electrons to other molecules. This property is significant in biochemical reactions.

**Hint:** Consider the characteristics of reducing sugars and how they differ from non-reducing sugars.

### Conclusion
Based on the breakdown of cellulose and the structure of cellobiose, we conclude that cellobiose is a disaccharide.

**Final Answer:** Cellobiose, the hydrolytic breakdown product of cellulose, is a disaccharide.

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