Question

Calculate the net charge of a chondroitin-4-sulfate molecule containing 100 disaccharide units.

Short answer

Chondroitin-4-sulfate molecule have net charge -2. So, the 100 disaccharide units have a charge of -200.

Step-by-step solution

Chondroitin-4-sulfate disaccharide

Chondroitin-4-sulfate is a disaccharide sugar. Charge of the Chondroitin-4-sulfate is -2. It does not change with the disaccharide chaining of the molecule.

Net charge of 100 disaccharide units of Chondroitin-4-sulfate disaccharide

The chondroitin-4-sulfate charge does not change with any addition of the molecule. The 100 units of Chondroitin-4-sulfate contain the net charge of

100 x (-2)

= -200.

The net charge of 100 units of Chondroitin-4-sulfate is -200.