What are monosaccharides?
Q: What are monosaccharides?
A: Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates consisting of one sugar.
Q: What are some characteristics of monosaccharides?
A: Monosaccharides are usually colorless, water-soluble, and crystalline solids. Some monosaccharides have a sweet taste.
Q: Can you name some examples of monosaccharides?
A: Examples of monosaccharides include glucose (dextrose), fructose, galactose, and ribose.
Q: What is the role of monosaccharides in the formation of disaccharides and polysaccharides?
A: Monosaccharides are the building blocks of disaccharides like sucrose (common sugar) and polysaccharides such as cellulose and starch.
Q: What is the significance of the chiral carbon atoms in monosaccharides?
A: Each carbon atom that supports a hydroxyl group (except for the first and last) is chiral, giving rise to a number of isomeric forms all with the same chemical formula.
Q: Can you give an example of isomeric forms in monosaccharides?
A: Galactose and glucose are both aldohexoses, but they have different chemical and physical properties.
Q: What is aldohexoses?
A: Aldohexoses are monosaccharides containing six carbon atoms with a carbonyl group at one end of the molecule.
