Answer to Question #77657 in Biology for Vantasjah

Question

Sucrose and lactose are disaccharides that have the same chemical formula, C12H22O11. However, these sugars have different characteristics and behave differently in chemical reactions. Which of the following generalizations can explain this?

A) Disaccharides are used for different cellular processes, and they only take part in reactions in which they are needed.
B) Disaccharides are different in structure because they are not made up of the same monosaccharides, and this gives them different properties.
C) Disaccharides are made from the same monosaccharides, but the monosaccharides are arranged differently, resulting in different properties.
D) Disaccharides have different properties, but the polysaccharides they form when combined with other molecules will have the same properties.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B. Sucrose is made of glucose and fructose, while lactose is made of glucose and galactose. The monomers are different and thus, the disaccharides have different properties.