Glucose is a simple sugar commonly found in nature. Which of the following is the correct molecular formula for glucose?

• A. C6H6O6
• B. C5H10O5
• C. C6H12O6
• D. C12H22O11

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the molecular formula represents the number of each type of atom in a molecule. For glucose, you need to identify the correct count of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
2. Recall that glucose is a monosaccharide with six carbon atoms, twelve hydrogen atoms, and six oxygen atoms, which is a common fact in biochemistry and general chemistry.
3. Compare the given options to the known molecular formula of glucose. The correct formula should have 6 carbons, 12 hydrogens, and 6 oxygens.
4. Eliminate options that do not match this count: C6H6O6 has too few hydrogens, C5H10O5 has fewer carbons and oxygens, and C12H22O11 is the formula for a disaccharide (like sucrose), not glucose.
5. Conclude that the correct molecular formula for glucose is \(C6H12O6\), which matches the known structure and composition of this simple sugar.