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What is cellulose made of?

Published in Cellulose Composition 1 min read

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.