What Differentiates Glucose from Galactose in a Diagram?
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4 min read
Although they share the same chemical formula ($$C_{6}H_{12}O_{6}$$), glucose and galactose are distinct monosaccharides with crucial biological differences. Their unique properties stem from a single structural detail, a specific hydroxyl group's orientation, which is the key feature that differentiates glucose from galactose in a diagram. This minor variation classifies them as stereoisomers, or more specifically, C4 epimers.
