Carbohydrates and Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are compounds made of carbon and water.
• The atoms that make up carbohydrates are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
• Simple carbohydrates are also known as sugars, monosaccharides, or disaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Monosaccharides Formula

• Monosaccharides contain equal amounts of carbon and water.
• The general formula for monosaccharides can be written as $C<em>x(H</em>2O)_x$.
• This also means that they have twice as many hydrogen atoms as they have oxygen or carbon atoms.
• The general formula can also be written as $C<em>xH</em>{2x}O_x$.
• Examples of possible formulas for monosaccharides include:
  • $C<em>6H</em>{12}O_6$
  • $C<em>7H</em>{14}O_7$
  • $C<em>3H</em>6O_3$