Glucose
Molar mass: 180.16 g/mol · Class: Carbohydrate (monosaccharide)
Elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
Structure
Glucose is a six-carbon sugar. In water it mostly exists as a ring: five carbons and one oxygen in a hexagon, with hydroxyl (-OH) groups around the ring. The exact positions of these groups distinguish glucose from similar sugars like fructose.
Properties
White crystalline solid, very soluble in water
Sweet taste; the body's preferred energy source
Reduces Fehling's and Benedict's solutions (a test for sugars)
Fermented by yeast into ethanol and carbon dioxide
Applications
Cellular energy source for nearly all life
Medical IV drips and oral rehydration
Food industry sweetener and fermentation feedstock
Blood sugar monitoring in diabetes care
Safe as food in normal amounts. Diabetics must manage intake carefully: consult a doctor, not a website, for medical advice. Fine sugar dust is flammable in industrial settings.
Data source: IUPAC standard atomic weights 2021; molar mass computed from C6H12O6