While working part-time at a lab, Matthew is asked to grab a jar that contains carbohydrates. Two jars are on the counter, each labeled with their chemical formula. One is labeled C5H10O5, and the other is C3H9O3. Which one is the carbohydrate? What should Matthew's decision be based upon? Based on the number of carbons, what group of sugars should this compound be classified as?
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the organic compounds that are obtained in foods and living matters in the shape of sugars, cellulose, and starch. The general formula of carbohydrates is Cn(H2O)2. The ratio of H and O present in carbohydrates is identical to water.
Starch
Starch is a polysaccharide carbohydrate that belongs to the category of polysaccharide carbohydrates.
Mutarotation
The rotation of a particular structure of the chiral compound because of the epimerization is called mutarotation. It is the repercussion of the ring chain tautomerism. In terms of glucose, this can be defined as the modification in the equilibrium of the α- and β- glucose anomers upon its dissolution in the solvent water. This process is usually seen in the chemistry of carbohydrates.
L Sugar
A chemical compound that is represented with a molecular formula C6H12O6 is called L-(-) sugar. At the carbon’s 5th position, the hydroxyl group is placed to the compound’s left and therefore the sugar is represented as L(-)-sugar. It is capable of rotating the polarized light’s plane in the direction anticlockwise. L isomers are one of the 2 isomers formed by the configurational stereochemistry of the carbohydrates.
While working part-time at a lab, Matthew is asked to grab a jar that contains carbohydrates. Two jars are on the counter, each labeled with their chemical formula. One is labeled C5H10O5, and the other is C3H9O3.
- Which one is the carbohydrate?
- What should Matthew's decision be based upon?
- Based on the number of carbons, what group of sugars should this compound be classified as?

Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps









