How many carbon atoms are generally used in composition of monosaccharides ?

Options

A. 3 to 7
B. 1 to 5
C. 5 to 10
D. 5 to 15

Answer

A

Explanation

Carbohydrates are also called saccharides because their basic components are sugars. Monosaccharides are those sugar or simple carbohydrate monomers which cannot be hydrolysed further into smallest compounds. They have a general formula of `C_(n)H_(2n)O_(n)`. Depending upon the number of carbon atoms, monosaccharides are of five types: trioses )having 3 carbon atoms, e.g., glyceraldehyde), tetroses (having four carbon atom, e.g., erythrose), pentoses (having five carbon atoms, e.g. ribose), hexoses (having six carbon atoms, e.g., glucose), heptoses (having seven atoms, e.g., sedoheptulose).