Which chemical formula represents glucose?

Which chemical formula represents glucose?

• A. C6H12O6
• B. C3H603
• C. C2H5OH
• D. H2O

Answer: (A)

Glucose is a carbohydrate whose molecule has a fixed count of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The molecular formula shows exactly how many of each atom are in one molecule: six carbons, twelve hydrogens and six oxygens. That specific combination is written as C6H12O6, which is why this formula correctly represents glucose. The other options describe different substances: one corresponds to ethanol, which has far fewer carbon atoms and a different hydrogen/oxygen ratio; another is water, a much smaller molecule; the remaining choice doesn’t match the atom counts of a sugar.

Glucose is a carbohydrate whose molecule has a fixed count of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The molecular formula shows exactly how many of each atom are in one molecule: six carbons, twelve hydrogens and six oxygens. That specific combination is written as C6H12O6, which is why this formula correctly represents glucose. The other options describe different substances: one corresponds to ethanol, which has far fewer carbon atoms and a different hydrogen/oxygen ratio; another is water, a much smaller molecule; the remaining choice doesn’t match the atom counts of a sugar.