Question

Explain how mono-, di- and polysaccharides differ.

Answer 1

Monosaccharide is a simple sugar consist only of one unit. They serve as building blocks for more complex carbohydrate forms.

For example:

Glucose

Fructose

Galactose

Ribose and Deoxyribose - RNA, DNA

and so on...

Disaccharides are a group of sugars composed of two monosaccharide groups linked together.

For example:

Maltose = Glucose + Glucose

Sucrose = Glucose + Fructose

Lactose = Glucose + Galactose

Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates composed of numerous monosaccharides combined through the loss of water molecules.

For example:

Starch

Amylopectin

Glycogen