Living organisms use carbohydrates as an energy source. In the process of cellular respiration, carbohydrate bonds are broken, releasing energy that is used to fuel chemical reactions in cells. Monosaccharides are the most basic form of carbohydrates. Monosaccharides can be linked together to form long, compact chains called polysaccharides, which require less space than the equivalent amount of monosaccharides. Both plants and animals store excess carbohydrates as polysaccharides.

Which of the following best describes why the formation of polysaccharides is beneficial to organisms?