SL Content Statements

• B1.1.2

  Production of macromolecules by condensation reactions that link monomers to form a polymer

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  Students should be familiar with examples of polysaccharides, polypeptides and nucleic acids.

• B1.1.4

  Form and function of monosaccharides

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  Students should be able to recognize pentoses and hexoses as monosaccharides from molecular diagrams showing them in the ring forms. Use glucose as an example of the link between the properties of a monosaccharide and how it is used, emphasizing solubility, transportability, chemical stability and the yield of energy from oxidation as properties.

• B1.1.5

  Polysaccharides as energy storage compounds

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  Include the compact nature of starch in plants and glycogen in animals due to coiling and branching during polymerization, the relative insolubility of these compounds due to large molecular size and the relative ease of adding or removing alpha-glucose monomers by condensation and hydrolysis to build or mobilize energy stores.

• B1.1.6

  Structure of cellulose related to its function as a structural polysaccharide in plants

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  Include the alternating orientation of beta-glucose monomers, giving straight chains that can be grouped in bundles and cross-linked with hydrogen bonds.

• B1.1.7

  Role of glycoproteins in cell–cell recognition

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  Include ABO antigens as an example.