Sugars

Sugars provide the energy resource for cells. The simplest form of sugar, glucose, features a 6-carbon ring and has the chemical composition of C₆H₁₂O₂ (shown below).

Glucose is the principal food source for cells. Even larger sugars, called polysaccharides, are digested into glucose before being converted into ATP. The chemical reaction for converting glucose into energy is as follows:

C₆H₁₂O₂ + 6O₂ -> 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + energy (in the form of ATP and NAHD)

Sugar is also used as a form of energy storage in cells. In animal cells, polysaccharides (long repeating structure containing glucose) in the form of glycogen are used to store energy. Plant cells use starch to store energy.

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