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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a difference between glucose and fructose?
A
Glucose forms a five-membered ring, while fructose forms a six-membered ring.
B
Glucose is an aldohexose, while fructose is a ketohexose.
C
Fructose is a reducing sugar, but glucose is not.
D
Both glucose and fructose have five carbon atoms.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the structural differences between glucose and fructose. Glucose is classified as an aldohexose because it contains an aldehyde functional group (-CHO) at the first carbon atom, while fructose is classified as a ketohexose because it contains a ketone functional group (C=O) at the second carbon atom.
Step 2: Analyze the ring structures formed by glucose and fructose. Glucose typically forms a six-membered ring (pyranose) when cyclized, while fructose can form either a five-membered ring (furanose) or a six-membered ring (pyranose), depending on the reaction conditions.
Step 3: Evaluate the reducing sugar property. Both glucose and fructose are reducing sugars because they can donate electrons to other molecules in redox reactions. This property is due to the presence of a free aldehyde group in glucose and a free ketone group in fructose in their linear forms.
Step 4: Examine the number of carbon atoms in each molecule. Both glucose and fructose are hexoses, meaning they contain six carbon atoms, not five. This eliminates the statement that both have five carbon atoms.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is: 'Glucose is an aldohexose, while fructose is a ketohexose,' based on the functional group differences and structural classifications of these two sugars.