What is the difference between a monosaccharide and a disaccharide?
A.
Monosaccharides are composed of two sugar molecules while disaccharides are composed of a single sugar molecule.
B.
Monosaccharides are simple sugars that cannot be further broken down into simpler sugars while
C.
disaccharides are composed of two simple sugars.
D.
Monosaccharides are only found in plants while disaccharides are only found in animals.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B. Monosaccharides are simple sugars that cannot be further broken down into simpler sugars while disaccharides are composed of two simple sugars.
Explanation:
Monosaccharides and disaccharides are both types of carbohydrates, but they differ significantly in their structure and complexity.
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates. They consist of a single sugar molecule and cannot be hydrolyzed into smaller sugar units. Common examples of monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose. These simple sugars serve as the basic building blocks for more complex carbohydrates. Monosaccharides are characterized by their structure, which includes a single polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone group. They are fundamental to energy metabolism and are absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the digestive tract. Because of their simplicity, monosaccharides are often referred to as “simple sugars.”
Disaccharides, on the other hand, are composed of two monosaccharide units linked together by a glycosidic bond. To form a disaccharide, two monosaccharides undergo a condensation reaction, where a molecule of water is released. Examples of disaccharides include sucrose (table sugar), which is composed of glucose and fructose, lactose (milk sugar), which is made up of glucose and galactose, and maltose (malt sugar), which consists of two glucose units. Disaccharides need to be broken down into their monosaccharide components by digestive enzymes before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
In summary, the key difference is that monosaccharides are single sugar molecules and the most basic unit of carbohydrates, while disaccharides are composed of two monosaccharide units. This distinction affects their role in nutrition and metabolism, as monosaccharides provide immediate energy, whereas disaccharides must first be broken down into monosaccharides before they can be utilized.