If glucose has the formula c6h12o6 why is the formula for maltose c12h22o11 rather than c12h24o12?

Answer

its c12h22o11 because H2O is removed during the making of maltose due to condensation reaction. so if u take away 2h and 1o from c12h24o12 it will be c12h22o11

More answer

That's true, but WHY? Why is it necessary to form a molecule of water every time you make a molecule of maltose?

It's due to the need for a bonding site on each of the two glucose molecules. A glucose molecule is smooth like a chrome bumper--nothing can stick to it, because it doesn't have any open bonding sites. If you want to stick something more substantive than a sticker to a chrome bumper, you need to sand the bumper to create an area that's rough enough to hold glue. If you want to stick two carbohydrates together, you need to rough them up by removing one hydrogen atom from one carbohydrate and a hydroxyl group from another. Once this is done, the hydrogen and hydroxyl will find each other and create a molecule of water, and the two stripped monosaccharides will find each other's open bonding site and create a molecule of maltose.

First answer by ID1079748788. Last edit by Jmowreader. Contributor trust: 791 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 19 [recommend question].