Question

Synthesis means "putting together". Dehydration means "loss of water". explain why chemists refer to the joining of monosaccharide molecules to form disaccharides and polysaccharides dehydration synthesis.

Answer 1

Dehydration synthesis in carbohydrates involves the combination of monosaccharides to form larger molecules like disaccharides, with the release of water molecules. This produces a glycosidic bond, exemplified in maltose formation from glucose.

Step-by-step explanation:

Chemists refer to the joining of monosaccharide molecules to form disaccharides and polysaccharides as dehydration synthesis because this process involves the loss of water molecules. When two monosaccharide molecules bond together, they each contribute part of the water molecule that is released;

one provides a hydrogen atom (H) and the other a hydroxyl group (OH). This reaction creates a covalent bond, specifically a glycosidic bond, between the two sugar molecules, while simultaneously releasing a water molecule. This is exemplified when glucose molecules combine to form the disaccharide maltose, releasing water in the process.