Chapter 1–6: Carbohydrates Overview (Vocabulary)

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key carbohydrate concepts such as monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, ring forms, and nomenclature.

Carbohydrates

Biological molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a hydrated form (Cn(H2O)n); include monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides; major energy source.

Saccharide

Another term for carbohydrate; derived from Greek for sugar or sweet.

Monosaccharide

A single sugar; the simplest carbohydrate; e.g., glucose; building block for polysaccharides.

Glucose

A six-carbon aldohexose monosaccharide; primary energy source in cells; building block for glycogen; also called dextrose.

Dextrose

Common name for glucose; named for its dextrorotatory (right-rotating) property.

Aldehyde group

Functional group at the end of a carbon chain (–CHO); glucose in its aldehyde form is an aldohexose.

Aldohexose

Hexose with an aldehyde functional group; example: glucose.

Ketone group

Functional group where the carbonyl carbon is bonded to two carbons (C=O) within the chain; fructose contains a ketone.

Fructose

A six-carbon ketohexose monosaccharide; sweetest monosaccharide; commonly forms a furanose ring in solution.

Ketohexose

Hexose sugar with a ketone functional group; example: fructose.

Hexose

Six-carbon sugar.

Monomer

A building block that joins with others to form polymers (e.g., glucose as a monomer for glycogen).

Polymer

A large molecule built from repeating monomer units (e.g., glycogen, cellulose, starch).

Glycogen

Polysaccharide that stores glucose in liver and muscles.

Cellulose

Structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls.

Ribose

Five-carbon sugar that forms part of RNA; essential for transcription.

Disaccharide

Carbohydrate composed of two monosaccharide units (e.g., maltose, sucrose); formed via glycosidic linkage.

Maltose

Disaccharide of two glucose units joined by a glycosidic linkage through dehydration synthesis.

Sucrose

Disaccharide of glucose and fructose; table sugar; formed via glycosidic linkage.

Glycosidic linkage

Bond formed between two monosaccharides during dehydration synthesis.

Dehydration synthesis

Condensation reaction that removes water to form a glycosidic bond between sugars.

Cyclization

Process by which linear sugars form cyclic (ring) forms in solution.

Pyranose

Six-member ring (five carbons and one oxygen) formed by many glucose rings.

Furanose

Five-member ring (four carbons and one oxygen) formed by many fructose rings; common form for fructose.

Structural isomer

Isomers with same molecular formula but different connectivity; e.g., glucose and fructose (C6H12O6) are structural isomers.

D- and L- configuration

Stereochemical designations based on the highest-numbered chiral center; D indicates right-side orientation in Fischer projection; L indicates left.

Fischer projection

Two-dimensional representation used to depict stereochemistry and assign D/L configuration.

Dextrorotatory (dextrose)

Rotates plane-polarized light to the right; glucose is dextrorotatory.

Blood sugar

Concentration of glucose in the bloodstream; important measure in diabetes.

Photosynthesis

Plant process that stores energy as glucose using sunlight.

Cellular respiration

Cellular process that converts glucose into ATP (energy currency).

Malt sugar

Common name for maltose (glucose + glucose disaccharide).