Formations
Galactose shares it's molecular formula
with two other molecules, those two molecules are glucose and fructose. All of
their molecular formulas are C6H12O6; this is because they are all carbohydrates
which all contain the three elements hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. Carbon is the
base of all three of these carbohydrates along with many other molecules. This
is because carbon is a row four element, which means it has four valence
electrons giving it all four sides available to bond. So this is why carbon is
the base, and there are six carbon atoms contained in the molecule which makes
this molecule have six bases. Although galactose shares the same molecular
formula as fructose and glucose, their arrangements vary which is really the
difference between the three. These three molecules though are known as
structural isomers due to the three having the same molecular formula but still
have different structures.
Galactose exists in two different forms, one
being cyclic form and the other being an open chain. The one shown in the
picture above is open chain form, almost looks like a straight line. But cyclic
form is seen almost as a circle with branches coming off of the circle. In the
cyclic form there are six base points going around the circle where all the
bonds are centrally made in which are all composed of carbon, the base element.
In open chain form it is the same way except the two ends of the six carbons do
not connect as they do in cyclic form.
with two other molecules, those two molecules are glucose and fructose. All of
their molecular formulas are C6H12O6; this is because they are all carbohydrates
which all contain the three elements hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. Carbon is the
base of all three of these carbohydrates along with many other molecules. This
is because carbon is a row four element, which means it has four valence
electrons giving it all four sides available to bond. So this is why carbon is
the base, and there are six carbon atoms contained in the molecule which makes
this molecule have six bases. Although galactose shares the same molecular
formula as fructose and glucose, their arrangements vary which is really the
difference between the three. These three molecules though are known as
structural isomers due to the three having the same molecular formula but still
have different structures.
Galactose exists in two different forms, one
being cyclic form and the other being an open chain. The one shown in the
picture above is open chain form, almost looks like a straight line. But cyclic
form is seen almost as a circle with branches coming off of the circle. In the
cyclic form there are six base points going around the circle where all the
bonds are centrally made in which are all composed of carbon, the base element.
In open chain form it is the same way except the two ends of the six carbons do
not connect as they do in cyclic form.