1.2 Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides

Question 1

What are carbon atoms unique features

Answer 1

They readily form bonds with other carbon atoms, which allows for a sequence of carbon atoms to build up, forming a backbone for which other atoms can attach to.

Called a carbon chain

Life on earth is based on versatile carbon atom

Question 2

Examples of monosaccharides

Answer 2

Glucose, galactose and fructose

Question 3

What are monosaccharides

what are disaccharides and polysaccharides

Answer 3

One sugar which is a monomer that builds up carbohydrates

They are sweet tasting, soluble substances with general formula (CH2O)n where n is a number from 3 to 7

Disaccharides: a pair of monosaccharides

polysaccharides: A large combination of monosaccharides together

Question 4

What are the two isomers of glucose?

What do they look like

Answer 4

alpha and beta

Both hexagons with 5 carbon atoms represented by corners.
Both have an oxygen

Alpha has two OH on either bottom and two H on both tops

Beta has one OH on the bottom left but a H on bottom right, so the top and bottom of one side of alpha are switched

Question 5

what are reducing sugars

Answer 5

All monosaccharides and some disaccharides are reducing sugars:

Its a sugar that can donate electrons to another chemical.. like reduction, to reduce the other chemical

Question 6

How do you test for reducing sugars

Answer 6

Benedicts test:

Benedict’s reagent is an alkaline solution of copper sulfate.

. Heat reducing sugar with Benedict’s reagent to form a brick red precipitate of copper oxide.

You add the food sample to test tube and add equal volume of BR then boil in water bath for 5 mins