The primary energy storage compound in plants is?

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Explore the Key Stage 3 Plants Test with interactive flashcards and multiple choice questions. This preparation guide offers detailed hints and explanations for each question. Enhance your understanding and get ready for your exam!

The primary energy storage compound in plants is glucose. Glucose serves as a fundamental building block for the synthesis of other carbohydrates and is crucial for the plant's energy needs. When plants perform photosynthesis, they convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. This glucose can then be used immediately for energy through cellular respiration or it can be stored for later use.

In addition to inherent energy storage, glucose can be converted into starch, another important storage form of energy in plants. Starch is a polysaccharide made from many glucose units and is stored in various plant parts, such as roots and seeds. When the plant requires energy, it can break down starch back into glucose.

The other options—fructose, cellulose, and sucrose—serve different roles. While fructose can be a sugar in fruits, cellulose provides structural support in plant cell walls and is not primarily an energy storage compound. Sucrose functions as a transport sugar in plants, moving energy and carbon between different parts, but it is not the main energy storage form like glucose is.

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