Hydrogen bonds link adjacent cellulose chains to boost overall tensile strength

Steps:

• Analyze diagram: alternating β-glucose enables H-bonds between adjacent chains.
• Recall cellulose composition: linear polymers form parallel bundles via these bonds.
• Define tensile strength: resistance to elongation under tension without fracture.
• Evaluate options: identify how inter-chain bonds reinforce pull resistance in cell walls.

Why A is correct:

• Tensile strength in polymers relies on both covalent backbone bonds and supplementary H-bonds; in cellulose, inter-chain H-bonds align and support individual molecules, distributing forces along their length per structural biochemistry principles.

Why the others are wrong:

• B: Focuses on crosslinks within cell wall but ignores that H-bonds primarily reinforce linear chain integrity, not just broader wall structure.
• C: Vague phrasing on adding strength lacks specificity to chain-level bonding shown in diagram.
• D: Describes microfibril-level effects, but diagram emphasizes bonds between basic adjacent chains, not bundled microfibrils.

Final answer: A