Using a structural formula wrute out the equation for the hydrolysis of lactose - please help!
see my posting on April 2, 2007 at 5:12am
To write the equation for the hydrolysis of lactose, we first need to understand its structural formula. Lactose is a disaccharide composed of two monosaccharides, glucose and galactose, linked by a glycosidic bond.
Here is the structural formula for lactose:
HOOCCH(OH)CH2OH HOOCCH(OH)CH2OH
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HOOCCH(OH)CH2OH HOOCCH(OH)CH2OH
The glycosidic bond that connects the glucose and galactose molecules is indicated by a line between the two glucose rings in the structural formula.
Now, let's write the equation for the hydrolysis of lactose. Hydrolysis involves the addition of water (H2O) to break the glycosidic bond and separate lactose into its constituent monosaccharides.
The equation for the hydrolysis of lactose can be written as follows:
Lactose + H2O → Glucose + Galactose