To understand the hydrolysis of starch, let's break down the chemical process involved:
Starch is a polysaccharide composed of a large number of glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. During the hydrolysis of starch, these glycosidic bonds are broken down, leading to the formation of simpler sugars.
- Starch consists mainly of two molecules: amylose and amylopectin. Both are polymers of glucose.
- The hydrolysis process breaks these polymers down into their monosaccharide components, under the action of enzymes like amylase.
- Finally, the hydrolysis of starch results in the formation of glucose.
Now, let's consider the given options:
- Glucose: This is the correct answer, as detailed in the explanation above.
- Fructose: Fructose is not a product of starch hydrolysis. It is a different monosaccharide found in other sugars like sucrose.
- Both (a) and (b): Incorrect, because only glucose is formed from starch hydrolysis, not fructose.
- Sucrose: Sucrose is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose, not a product of starch hydrolysis.
Therefore, the correct answer is glucose.
In summary, starch undergoes hydrolysis to yield glucose, which can be further utilized in various metabolic processes in living organisms.