M2: Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that serve as a source of energy and structural components in living organisms.

Monosaccharides

The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of a single sugar molecule. They have 3-6 carbon atoms and can be classified as aldoses or ketoses based on the presence of an aldehyde or ketone functional group.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed by the linkage of two monosaccharide molecules through a glycosidic bond. They serve as a source of energy and can be hydrolyzed into their constituent monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharides linked together through glycosidic bonds. They serve as energy storage molecules (e.g., starch and glycogen) or structural components (e.g., cellulose) in living organisms.

Isomers

Molecules that have the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements. Isomers can be classified as structural isomers, which have different connectivity of atoms, or stereoisomers, which have the same connectivity but differ in spatial arrangement.