Based on the examples provided, what is the range of carbon numbers for common monosaccharides described?

Based on the examples provided, what is the range of carbon numbers for common monosaccharides described?

• A. 3 or 4
• B. 5 or 6
• C. 6 only
• D. 7 or 8

Answer: (B)

Monosaccharides most commonly contain five or six carbon atoms. This includes five-carbon sugars like ribose (a key component of RNA) and deoxyribose (in DNA), and six-carbon sugars like glucose, galactose, and mannose (and fructose, which is a ketohexose). The term pentoses refers to five-carbon sugars, and hexoses to six-carbon sugars, and these are the sugars you’ll see most often described in biology. While other carbon counts exist (such as triose with three carbons or heptose with seven), the sugars typically highlighted in foundational biology are the five- and six-carbon varieties. That’s why the range is five or six carbons.

Monosaccharides most commonly contain five or six carbon atoms. This includes five-carbon sugars like ribose (a key component of RNA) and deoxyribose (in DNA), and six-carbon sugars like glucose, galactose, and mannose (and fructose, which is a ketohexose). The term pentoses refers to five-carbon sugars, and hexoses to six-carbon sugars, and these are the sugars you’ll see most often described in biology. While other carbon counts exist (such as triose with three carbons or heptose with seven), the sugars typically highlighted in foundational biology are the five- and six-carbon varieties. That’s why the range is five or six carbons.