Which of the following is a common example of a monosaccharide?

Fructose is a prime example of a monosaccharide, which is a simple sugar composed of a single sugar unit. Monosaccharides are the most basic form of carbohydrates and cannot be hydrolyzed into smaller carbohydrate molecules. Fructose, which is found in many fruits, has the formula C6H12O6, making it a hexose sugar, like glucose. Monosaccharides such as fructose are important as they serve as building blocks for larger carbohydrates and play a critical role in metabolism.

In contrast, starch and cellulose are polysaccharides, meaning they are composed of long chains of monosaccharide units. Sucrose, on the other hand, is a disaccharide, which consists of two monosaccharides—glucose and fructose—joined together. This distinction is key in understanding carbohydrate structures and classifications.