Cellulose is made of long chains of glucose molecules joined together.
Understanding Cellulose Composition
Cellulose is a fundamental structural component of plant cell walls. To further understand what it's made of, consider the following:
- Glucose Polymer: As stated in the reference, cellulose is a polymer, specifically a long-chain polymer. This means it's a large molecule made up of repeating smaller units called monomers. In the case of cellulose, the monomer is glucose.
- Bonding and Water Release: When plants create cellulose, they add one glucose molecule to the growing polymer chain. During this process, a molecule of water (H2O) is released. This is a dehydration reaction.
In summary, cellulose consists of many glucose molecules linked together to form a long chain.