Glucose & Structure Flashcards
What is the chemical formula of glucose?
C6H12O6
This fits the general structural pattern of CnH2nOn.
What process primarily produces glucose on Earth?
Photosynthesis
This process converts CO2 and H2O into cellulose, starch, and other plant products.
What are the common terms used to refer to carbohydrates?
- Sugar
- Monosaccharide
- Oligosaccharide
- Polysaccharide
‘Sugar’ can refer to any carbohydrate molecule but is imprecise in scientific terms.
What defines a monosaccharide?
A simple sugar or monomeric sugar
Monosaccharides have the general formula of CnH2nOn.
What is an oligosaccharide?
Short chains of monosaccharides joined together
This term is analogous to oligopeptides.
How many monosaccharides are typically found in polysaccharides?
20 or more
Polysaccharides can form linear or highly branched structures.
List the functions of carbohydrates in organisms.
- Energy source
- Intermediates in metabolic pathways
- Structural role in organisms
Carbohydrates are used to produce NADPH and are key components of cellulose and chitin.
What are the two types of functional groups found in monosaccharides?
- Aldehyde functional group
- Ketone functional group
Aldose refers to monosaccharides with aldehyde groups, while ketose refers to those with ketone groups.
What are the smallest monosaccharides called?
Trioses
Examples include glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone.
Who developed Fischer projection formulas?
Emil Fischer
These formulas represent three-dimensional carbohydrates in two-dimensional structures.
What indicates a D or L configuration in carbohydrate molecules?
The orientation of the -OH group on the penultimate carbon
D indicates the -OH group is on the right, while L indicates it is on the left.
What does the term epimer refer to?
Monosaccharides that differ in the orientation at only one position
For example, D-glucose and D-mannose are epimers.
What is the relationship between D and L sugars?
They are mirror images of each other
Both forms have nearly the same physical and chemical properties.
Natural carbohydrates are almost exclusively which type of sugar?
D sugars
Only rare exceptions exist for L sugars in nature.
What is the significance of enzymes in carbohydrate formation?
They produce carbohydrates with specific configurations
Enzymes have specific three-dimensional active sites that yield D configurations.
What is the general formula for monosaccharides?
CnH2nOn
This formula applies to simple sugars like glucose.
What is the difference between aldoses and ketoses?
Aldoses have aldehyde groups; ketoses have ketone groups
D-glyceraldehyde is an example of an aldose, while dihydroxyacetone is a ketose.
Glucose is also known as
Dextrose (glucose in nature is always the D form)
