Monosaccharide (Noun)
Meaning
A sugar (like sucrose or fructose) that does not hydrolyse to give other sugars; the simplest group of carbohydrates.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Glucose is a monosaccharide that serves as a primary source of energy for cells in the human body.
- Fructose, a simple sugar found in many fruits, is a monosaccharide that can be used by the body for energy production.
- The three main types of monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose, each with distinct chemical properties.
- Monosaccharides, such as ribose and deoxyribose, play a crucial role in the structure of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA.
- In the digestive system, disaccharides like sucrose are broken down into their constituent monosaccharides before being absorbed into the bloodstream.