Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are biomolecules made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, usually in a ratio of 1:2:1. For example C6H1206 is a carbohydrate called glucose. You will notice that carbohydrates names commonly end in -ose. The function carried out by carbohydrates is that they are used as the main (primary) source of energy in organisms. If you didn’t already know, carbohydrates are sugar or starch. Simple sugars made of one carbohydrate are called monosaccharides. Complex sugars (starch) made of many carbohydrates are polysaccharides.

Chemical Structure of Carbohydrates