What term describes the fibrous form of carbohydrate?

The term that describes the fibrous form of carbohydrate is cellulose. Cellulose is a complex carbohydrate, specifically a polysaccharide, composed of long chains of glucose molecules linked together. This structure gives cellulose its fibrous properties, making it a key structural component in the cell walls of plants. It provides rigidity and strength to the plant structure, allowing them to maintain shape and resist external pressures.

Cellulose is not digestible by humans due to lacking the necessary enzymes to break down its beta-glycosidic bonds. However, it plays a significant role in the human diet as dietary fiber, contributing to digestive health.

While starch is a carbohydrate, it is primarily an energy storage form found in plants and is more soluble compared to cellulose. Glucose is a simple sugar and the building block of carbohydrates, not a fibrous form. Chitin, although it's a fibrous substance found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and fungi, is not classified as a traditional carbohydrate like cellulose in plants. Therefore, cellulose is the most appropriate term to describe the fibrous structure among the options provided.