Which of the following terms refers to sugar molecules like glucose?

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The term that refers to sugar molecules like glucose is monosaccharides. Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates and consist of single sugar molecules. Glucose, fructose, and galactose are all examples of monosaccharides, characterized by their basic formula of (C_nH_{2n}O_n) and their ability to serve as the building blocks for more complex carbohydrates.

Monosaccharides can join through glycosidic bonds to form larger carbohydrates. In contrast, oligosaccharides consist of 2 to about 10 monosaccharide units, and disaccharides are specifically composed of two monosaccharides. Polysaccharides, on the other hand, are made up of long chains of monosaccharide units and serve as storage forms of energy, such as starch and glycogen, or as structural components, like cellulose. Thus, while all these terms relate to carbohydrates, monosaccharides accurately describes molecules like glucose.

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