Glucose (AQA A Level Biology)

The Two Forms of Glucose

• The most well-known carbohydrate monomer is glucose ATP

• Glucose has the molecular formula C₆H₁₂O₆

• Glucose is the most common monosaccharide and is of central importance to most forms of life

• There are different types of monosaccharide formed from molecules with varying numbers of carbon atom, for example:

  • Trioses (3C) eg. glyceraldehyde

  • Pentoses (5C) eg. ribose

  • Hexoses (6C) eg. glucose

• Glucose exists in two structurally different forms – alpha (α) glucose and beta (β) glucose and is therefore known as an isomer

  • This structural variety results in different functions between carbohydrates

Straight chain and ring structural formula of alpha & beta glucose

• Different polysaccharides are formed from the two isomers of glucose

Structure of Polysaccharides Table