How do monosaccharides benefit plants and animals?

Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates and serve as fundamental building blocks for more complex sugars. In the context of plants and animals, one of their primary benefits is their role in energy storage and structural integrity.

Plants utilize monosaccharides by combining them to form starch, which serves as a crucial energy reserve. During photosynthesis, plants convert sunlight into chemical energy, producing glucose (a monosaccharide) that is either used immediately for energy or polymerized into starch for later use. When energy is needed, plants can break down starch back into glucose molecules.

Cellulose, another polysaccharide formed from monosaccharides, provides structural support in plant cell walls. Its unique composition and bonding structure make it rigid and resistant to degradation, allowing plants to maintain their shape and defend against external forces.

In animals, monosaccharides like glucose are vital for energy metabolism. They are quickly available in the bloodstream and can be used by cells for energy. Additionally, glycogen, which is a polysaccharide made up of numerous glucose units, serves as a storage form of energy in animal tissues, primarily in the liver and muscles.

Thus, the correct answer highlights the critical roles that starch and cellulose play in energy storage and structural support for plants,