Chitin has what element added to each monomer?

Study with the DAT Bootcamp Molecules and Fundamentals of Biology test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to prepare effectively.

Multiple Choice

Chitin has what element added to each monomer?

Explanation:
The key idea is that chitin is built from N-acetylglucosamine units, which have an acetyl group attached to an amine on each sugar. That attachment introduces a nitrogen atom into every monomer, so nitrogen is the element added to each unit. This nitrogen-containing amide (the N-acetyl group) is what differentiates chitin from polymers like cellulose, which are made from plain glucose without any nitrogen.

The key idea is that chitin is built from N-acetylglucosamine units, which have an acetyl group attached to an amine on each sugar. That attachment introduces a nitrogen atom into every monomer, so nitrogen is the element added to each unit. This nitrogen-containing amide (the N-acetyl group) is what differentiates chitin from polymers like cellulose, which are made from plain glucose without any nitrogen.

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