2.2 Carbohydrates and Lipids

2026 Syllabus Objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

1. Describe and draw the ring forms of α-glucose and β-glucose
2. Define the terms monomer, polymer, macromolecule, monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide
3. State the role of covalent bonds in joining smaller molecules together to form polymers
4. State that glucose, fructose and maltose are reducing sugars and that sucrose is a non-reducing sugar
5. Describe the formation of a glycosidic bond by condensation, with reference to disaccharides (including sucrose) and polysaccharides
6. Describe the breakage of a glycosidic bond in polysaccharides and disaccharides by hydrolysis, with reference to the non-reducing sugar test
7. Describe the molecular structure of starch (amylose and amylopectin) and glycogen, and relate their structures to their functions
8. Describe the molecular structure of cellulose and outline how the arrangement of cellulose molecules contributes to the function of plant cell walls
9. State that triglycerides are non-polar hydrophobic molecules and describe their molecular structure with reference to fatty acids, glycerol and ester bonds
10. Relate the molecular structure of triglycerides to their functions in living organisms
11. Describe the molecular structure of phospholipids with reference to their hydrophilic phosphate heads and hydrophobic fatty acid tails

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