Synthesis means the process by which simple compounds are united to form more complex materials. Dehydration means loss of water. Explain why chemists refer to the joining of monosaccharide molecules to form disacchardies as dehydration synthesis reaction
Chemists refer to the joining of monosaccharide molecules to form disaccharides as a dehydration synthesis reaction because it involves the loss of water molecules during the synthesis process. Dehydration refers to the removal or loss of water, and in this reaction, as the monosaccharide molecules combine and form a bond, a water molecule is removed. This removal of water allows for the formation of a covalent bond between the monosaccharides, resulting in the synthesis of a larger, more complex compound—a disaccharide. Hence, this reaction is termed as dehydration synthesis.
Chemists refer to the joining of monosaccharide molecules to form disaccharides as a dehydration synthesis reaction because the process involves the loss of water molecules.
To explain this, let's break it down:
- Monosaccharides are simple sugar molecules, such as glucose or fructose, that contain one sugar unit.
- Disaccharides, on the other hand, are complex sugar molecules that consist of two monosaccharide units joined together.
- The process of joining these monosaccharides to form disaccharides is a chemical reaction known as dehydration synthesis.
Now, let's understand why it is called dehydration synthesis:
- Dehydration refers to the removal or loss of water molecules.
- In the synthesis part, molecules are being combined or synthesized into a larger, more complex structure.
So, in dehydration synthesis, when monosaccharide molecules are joined to form disaccharides, a water molecule is removed. This occurs through a chemical reaction where one monosaccharide molecule donates an -OH group (hydroxyl group) while the other monosaccharide molecule donates an -H group (hydrogen ion). The -OH group and -H group combine to form a water molecule (H2O), which is eliminated as a byproduct.
Overall, calling the joining of monosaccharide molecules to form disaccharides a dehydration synthesis reaction emphasizes the loss of water that occurs during the formation of more complex sugar structures.