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Help with Lactose (Biology)?

Can anyone describe as fully as possible the chemical composition of lactose?

3 Answers

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    It has a formula of C12H22O11.

    It is a disaccharide derived from the condensation of galactose and glucose, which form a β-1→4 glycosidic linkage.

    Wikipedia

  • 9 years ago

    β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-D-glucose or 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-glucose

    Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from one molecule of galactose and one molecule of glucose, which form a β-1→4 glycosidic linkage. The name comes from lac or lactis, the Latin word for milk, plus the -ose ending used to name sugars. It has a formula of C12H22O11. Lactose was discovered in milk in 1619 by Fabriccio Bartoletti, and identified as a sugar in 1780 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Lactose is hydrolysed to glucose and galactose, isomerised in alkaline solution to lactulose, and catalytically hydrogenated to the corresponding polyhydric alcohol.

  • Caitie
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    Lactose is a polysaccharide made of a molecule of glactose linked with a molecule of glucose. It is found in milk and is often called 'milk sugar'. It is a carbohydrate with the chemical formula of C12H22O11.

    You can find dimensional models of the structure of the molecule online. I can't draw one here; it will not come out right once I hit 'enter'.

    Source(s): masters in human physioloy, including a year of graduate biochemistry; retired AP bio and physiology teacher
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