Question

Explain how mono-, di- and polysaccharides differ.

Answer 1

A monosaccharide is a simple sugar that consists only of one unit. They serve as building blocks for more complex carbohydrate forms.
For example:
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
Ribose and Deoxyribose - RNA, DNA, etc

Disaccharides are a group of sugars composed of two monosaccharide groups linked together.
For example:
Maltose = Glucose + Glucose
Sucrose = Glucose + Fructose
Lactose = Glucose + Galactose

Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates composed of numerous monosaccharides combined through the loss of water molecules.
For example:
Starch
Amylopectin
Glycogen