Video Transcript
Which of the following is an
example of a monosaccharide? (A) Lactose, (B) glucose, (C)
maltose, or (D) sucrose.
The term “monosaccharide” means one
sugar. A monosaccharide is an example of a
carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are molecules
typically used by organisms for energy storage and transfer, as well as some
structural components. Carbohydrates are made of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in a specific ratio.
Carbohydrates can also be
disaccharides and polysaccharides. A disaccharide is made of two
monosaccharides bonded together. A polysaccharide is made of many
monosaccharides bonded together. A polysaccharide is an example of a
polymer, a molecule made of many repeating subunits. And a monosaccharide is the monomer
that makes up the polysaccharide polymer. A monosaccharide is the smallest
unit of a carbohydrate molecule.
Our answer choices list four common
carbohydrate molecules. Lactose, maltose, and sucrose are
all disaccharides. They are made of two
monosaccharides bonded together, which means that glucose must be a
monosaccharide.
