– basic structure of a few sugars and their importance
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Sugars are members of the saccharide family of carbohydrates. Saccharide comes from the Greek sakkharon meaning 'sugar'. Sugars are organic compounds that contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
There are four basic types of saccharides: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides and disaccharides are considered simple sugars as they are the simplest of the saccharides. Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides are the complex carbohydrates because their structures contain either hundreds of sugars or other molecules.
Monosaccharides
The monosaccharides are the simplest saccharides because they cannot be broken down into smaller sugars. The general formula of a monosaccharide is (CH2O)n, where n is three or more. Figure 1 shows an example the simplest monosaccharide, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is a 3-carbon sugar.
The molecular structure of DHA
The most well-known monosaccharides are probably glucose and fructose. Glucose is the molecule our bodies can use to make ATP, which is the energy molecule of our cells. Fructose is found in honey and fruits, while glucose is found in most foods.
Disaccharides
When you think of a sugar, you probably think of the white, sweet stuff your mom didn't like you to put all over your breakfast cereal. This is sucrose, a disaccharide that is composed of a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule. Disaccharides consist of two monosaccharides linked together through an oxygen bond. Figure 2 shows glucose, fructose, and the combination of the two, sucrose.
There are four basic types of saccharides: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides and disaccharides are considered simple sugars as they are the simplest of the saccharides. Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides are the complex carbohydrates because their structures contain either hundreds of sugars or other molecules.
Monosaccharides
The monosaccharides are the simplest saccharides because they cannot be broken down into smaller sugars. The general formula of a monosaccharide is (CH2O)n, where n is three or more. Figure 1 shows an example the simplest monosaccharide, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is a 3-carbon sugar.
The molecular structure of DHA
The most well-known monosaccharides are probably glucose and fructose. Glucose is the molecule our bodies can use to make ATP, which is the energy molecule of our cells. Fructose is found in honey and fruits, while glucose is found in most foods.
Disaccharides
When you think of a sugar, you probably think of the white, sweet stuff your mom didn't like you to put all over your breakfast cereal. This is sucrose, a disaccharide that is composed of a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule. Disaccharides consist of two monosaccharides linked together through an oxygen bond. Figure 2 shows glucose, fructose, and the combination of the two, sucrose.
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