Final answer:
The student appears to find identifying sugar challenging, so the correct statement is 'Identifying the sugar is a challenge.' In chemistry, substances like glucose and sucrose can be distinguished by their molar masses. Glucose is a monosaccharide, while sucrose is a disaccharide made of glucose and fructose.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the student's question, the correct statement about their ability to identify sugar is c) Identifying the sugar is a challenge. This is inferred because the student expresses uncertainty about how to identify the sugar.
Understanding Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides are simple sugars like glucose, which are identifiable by the number of carbon atoms they contain and whether they have an aldehyde (aldose) or ketone (ketose) group. Glucose, a hexose (a six-carbon monosaccharide), is an aldose with the molecular formula C6H12O6.
Distinguishing Between Glucose and Sucrose
To differentiate between molecules like glucose and sucrose, one can determine their molar masses. Sucrose is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose with the chemical formula C12H22O11, and it's twice the size of a single glucose molecule.
Identifying Compounds and Mixtures
When determining whether a substance is a compound, an element, a heterogeneous mixture, or a homogeneous mixture, table sugar (sucrose) is a compound, white wine is a homogeneous mixture (solution), mercury is an element, and ranch-style salad dressing is a heterogeneous mixture. These classifications help in understanding the composition of substances.