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Questions and Answers
What are the main functions of carbohydrates?
Metabolic precursors, energy provision, structural components, and recognition.
What are the main elements that make up carbohydrates?
Which of the following is NOT a classification of carbohydrates?
What is the definition of stereochemistry?
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Monosaccharides are the smallest unit of sugars which cannot be further __________.
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Isomer molecules have the same molecular formula but differ in their arrangement?
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What are enantiomers?
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Match the following terms with their definitions:
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What is a cyclic structure of monosaccharides?
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Which monosaccharide is designated as pyranose?
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Which monosaccharide is designated as furanose?
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Study Notes
Carbohydrates Overview
- Most abundant organic compounds in plants, constituting about 75% of their dry weight.
- Serve as fundamental biomolecules, simpler than proteins and nucleic acids.
- Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Functions of Carbohydrates
- Provide metabolic precursors for nearly all other biomolecules.
- Breakdown of carbohydrates produces energy essential for sustaining animal life.
- Form covalently bonded structures with other molecules, contributing to cell wall and extracellular structures.
- Involved in cell recognition processes vital for normal growth, fertilization, and cellular transformation.
Structural Definition
- Classified as polyhydroxy aldehydes and ketones.
Classification of Carbohydrates
- Monosaccharides: The simplest sugar units that cannot be hydrolyzed further.
- Disaccharides: Composed of two monosaccharide units.
- Oligosaccharides: Contain short chains of monosaccharide units.
- Polysaccharides: Complex carbohydrates formed from long chains of monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides
- Typically contain 3 to 6 carbon atoms; some have one stereogenic carbon (excluding dihydroxyacetone).
- Classification based on:
- Number of carbon atoms.
- Type of carbonyl group (aldehyde or ketone).
Naming Sugars
- Sugars are named according to their structure; can be classified into aldoses (contain aldehyde group) and ketoses (contain ketone group).
Stereochemistry
- Focuses on spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules.
- Types of isomers include:
- Structural Isomers: Differ in connections or arrangement.
- Stereoisomers: Have identical formulas and connections but differ in orientation.
Types of Stereoisomers
- Enantiomers: Non-superimposable mirror images.
- Diastreomers: Stereoisomers that are not mirror images.
- Epimers: Special class of diastereomers differing by a single -OH group position.
Cyclic Structure of Monosaccharides
- Interaction of alcohols with carbonyl groups forms hemiacetals (from aldehydes) and hemiketals (from ketones).
- Glucose: Forms a six-membered ring (pyranose) through an intramolecular reaction between aldehyde and hydroxyl group.
- Fructose: Forms a five-membered ring (furanose) from a ketone through a similar process.
Structural Preferences in Solution
- In aqueous solution, cyclic forms (pyranose and furanose) are favored over linear structures.
- Two anomeric forms:
- α-anomer: Hydroxyl group on the anomeric carbon is opposite to the terminal -CH2OH.
- β-anomer: Hydroxyl group on the anomeric carbon is on the same side as the terminal -CH2OH.
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Description
This quiz covers the fundamental concepts of carbohydrates, including their structural definitions, classifications, and critical functions in biological systems. Understand the role that carbohydrates play in energy production and cellular processes. Dive into the different types of carbohydrates ranging from monosaccharides to polysaccharides.
