Cellulose cannot be digested by humans because
A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 12 - 2002 - Paper 1
Question 12
Cellulose cannot be digested by humans because
A. it is insoluble in water.
B. it contains no glucose.
C. it is not a carbohydrate.
D. the enzymes required to ca... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Cellulose cannot be digested by humans because
A - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 12 - 2002 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. it is insoluble in water.
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Answer
This statement is incorrect. While cellulose is indeed insoluble in water, this characteristic does not prevent its digestion. The digestion of cellulose primarily depends on the presence of specific enzymes.
Step 2
B. it contains no glucose.
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Answer
This statement is also incorrect. Although cellulose is made of glucose units, the structure of cellulose is such that humans cannot break it down into individual glucose molecules. Therefore, the presence of glucose does not facilitate digestion.
Step 3
C. it is not a carbohydrate.
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Answer
This statement is false. Cellulose is, in fact, a carbohydrate. It is a polysaccharide composed of long chains of glucose monomers, classified under the carbohydrate category.
Step 4
D. the enzymes required to catalyse its hydrolysis are not present in humans.
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Answer
This statement is correct. Humans lack the enzyme cellulase, which is essential for breaking down cellulose into glucose. Consequently, cellulose remains undigested in the human digestive system.
