Table sugar, commonly known as sucrose, has the chemical formula C12H22O11. This formula indicates that each molecule of sucrose consists of twelve carbon (C) atoms, twenty-two hydrogen (H) atoms, and eleven oxygen (O) atoms.
Sucrose is a disaccharide, meaning it is composed of two simpler sugars: glucose and fructose. These simpler sugars are joined together by a glycosidic bond during the process of photosynthesis in plants. When you consume table sugar, your body breaks it down into glucose and fructose, which are then used as energy sources.
In summary, the chemical formula C12H22O11 provides a concise representation of the molecular structure of table sugar, highlighting its composition and the relationship to its simpler sugar components.