Carbohydrate Notes

Carbohydrates

Definition of Carbohydrates

  • Carbohydrates are polyhydroxyaldehydes or polyhydroxyketones, or substances that give these compounds upon hydrolysis.
  • Monosaccharide: A carbohydrate that cannot be hydrolyzed to a simpler carbohydrate.
  • Monosaccharides have the general formula (C<em>nH</em>2nOn)(C<em>nH</em>{2n}O_n), where nn varies from 3 to 8.
  • Aldose: A monosaccharide containing an aldehyde group.
  • Ketose: A monosaccharide containing a ketone group.

Classification of Monosaccharides

  • Monosaccharides are classified by their number of carbon atoms (e.g., triose, tetrose, pentose, hexose).

Trioses

  • There are only two trioses.
  • Often, the prefixes