The molecular formula for glucose is C₆H₁₂O₆. What would be the molecular formula for a polymer made by linking ten glucose molecules together by dehydration reactions?
a. C₆₀H₁₂₀O₆₀
b. C₆₀H₁₀₂O₅₁
c. C₆₀H₁₀₀O₅₀
d. C₆₀H₁₁₁O₅₁

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that dehydration reactions involve the removal of water (H2O) molecules when forming polymers from monomers.
2. Calculate the number of water molecules removed: For each linkage between two glucose molecules, one water molecule is removed. Therefore, linking ten glucose molecules involves nine dehydration reactions, removing nine water molecules.
3. Determine the molecular formula of the polymer: Start with the molecular formula for ten glucose molecules, which is C60H120O60.
4. Subtract the atoms from the removed water molecules: Since nine water molecules (H2O) are removed, subtract 18 hydrogen atoms and 9 oxygen atoms from the initial formula.
5. Write the new molecular formula: After accounting for the removed water molecules, the molecular formula becomes C60H102O51.

Key Concepts

Dehydration Reaction

A dehydration reaction is a chemical process where water molecules are removed to link monomers together, forming polymers. In the context of glucose, each dehydration reaction removes one water molecule (H2O) for each bond formed between glucose units. This is crucial for calculating the molecular formula of the resulting polymer.

Glucose Structure

Glucose is a simple sugar with the molecular formula C6H12O6. It serves as a monomer in forming polysaccharides. Understanding its structure is essential because it helps in determining how the molecular formula changes when glucose molecules are linked together through dehydration reactions.

Polymerization of Glucose

Polymerization involves linking multiple glucose molecules to form a larger carbohydrate, such as starch or cellulose. When ten glucose molecules are linked, nine water molecules are removed (one for each bond), altering the overall molecular formula. This concept is key to solving the problem of determining the polymer's molecular formula.