A carbohydrate gives three monosaccharide units on hydrolysis. Which of the following terms is used for it?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Trisaccharide
Carbohydrates are classified by their behaviour on hydrolysis. Those that give two to ten monosaccharide units are oligosaccharides, and they are named by the number of monosaccharide units they give: two units, a disaccharide; three units, a trisaccharide; four units, a tetrasaccharide.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) Triose — Incorrect. A triose is a monosaccharide with three carbon atoms. It cannot be hydrolysed further; the “tri” counts carbons, not sugar units.
Option (2) Disaccharide — Incorrect. A disaccharide gives two monosaccharide units, as sucrose gives glucose and fructose.
Option (4) Tetrasaccharide — Incorrect. A tetrasaccharide gives four monosaccharide units on hydrolysis.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
10.1.1 Classification of Carbohydrates – “(ii) Oligosaccharides: Carbohydrates that yield two to ten monosaccharide units, on hydrolysis, are called oligosaccharides. They are further classified as disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, etc., depending upon the number of monosaccharides, they provide on hydrolysis.”