The carbohydrate used by plants for structural support is cellulose. Cellulose is a complex carbohydrate made up of long chains of glucose molecules. It is a major component of plant cell walls, providing rigidity and strength to plant cells. Cellulose gives plants their structural support and allows them to maintain their shape and form.
In contrast:
1. Starch is a carbohydrate used by plants for energy storage, not structural support.
2. Glycogen is a carbohydrate used by animals for energy storage in liver and muscle cells, not by plants for structural support.
3. Chitin is a structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of arthropods like insects and crustaceans, not in plants for structural support.
Therefore, out of the options provided, cellulose is the correct carbohydrate used by plants for structural support.
