The formula for maltose (C12H22O11) is not simply double the formula of glucose (C6H12O6) because maltose is a disaccharide, composed of two glucose molecules joined together through a specific type of chemical bond known as a glycosidic linkage.
In maltose, two glucose molecules are linked together through an α-1,4-glycosidic bond, resulting in the formation of a new molecule with a different chemical structure. This bond involves the loss of a water molecule (H2O) during the formation of the glycosidic linkage.
To represent this, the chemical formula of maltose is written as C12H22O11. It consists of twelve carbon (C) atoms, twenty-two hydrogen (H) atoms, and eleven oxygen (O) atoms. The oxygen and hydrogen atoms in the lost water molecule are accounted for in the overall formula of maltose.
So, when glucose molecules combine to form maltose, the molecular formula of maltose is not simply a duplication of the glucose formula, but rather reflects the specific arrangement and bonding between the glucose units in the disaccharide.