simple sugar - a sugar (like sucrose or fructose) that does not hydrolyse to give other sugars; the simplest group of carbohydratestriose - any monosaccharide sugar containing three atoms of carbon per molecule tetrose - any monosaccharide sugar containing four atoms of carbon per molecule pentose - any monosaccharide sugar containing five atoms of carbon per molecule hexose - a monosaccharide that contains six carbon atoms per molecule aldose - a monosaccharide sugar that contains the aldehyde group or is hemiacetal carbohydrate, saccharide, sugar - an essential structural component of living cells and source of energy for animals; includes simple sugars with small molecules as well as macromolecular substances; are classified according to the number of monosaccharide groups they contain ketose - any monosaccharide sugar that contains a ketone group or its hemiacetal |