Fructose is A. a simple carbohydrate which follows empirical formula B. a complex carbohydrate which follows empirical formula C. a simple carbohydrate which does not follow empirical formula D. a complex carbohydrate which does not follows empirical formula
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is A. a simple carbohydrate which follows the empirical formula.
Explanation:
Fructose is a simple carbohydrate, also known as a monosaccharide. Monosaccharides are the most basic form of carbohydrates and cannot be broken down into smaller carbohydrate units. Fructose, specifically, is a type of sugar that is commonly found in fruits, honey, and some vegetables. It has the molecular formula C6H12O6, meaning it contains six carbon atoms, twelve hydrogen atoms, and six oxygen atoms.
The empirical formula of a compound represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements in the compound. For fructose, its molecular formula (C6H12O6) can also be expressed in its empirical formula as CH2O. This shows the simplest ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the molecule, which is 1:2:1. This matches the general empirical formula for many simple sugars, such as glucose, which is also a monosaccharide.
Fructose is not a complex carbohydrate, as complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides composed of many monosaccharide units linked together, such as starch or cellulose. Since fructose is a single sugar unit, it is classified as a simple carbohydrate, not a complex one.
Moreover, since fructose follows an empirical formula (CH2O), it adheres to the basic principles of empirical chemical formulas, where the formula is simplified to the smallest integer ratio of the elements present. This is in contrast to more complicated structures where the empirical formula may not necessarily be an intuitive reflection of the molecular structure.
Thus, the correct answer is A, as fructose is a simple carbohydrate that adheres to the empirical formula.
