Carbohydrates are organic compounds made up of three primary elements: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). The general formula for many carbohydrates can be represented as \( C_n(H_2O)_n \), where \( n \) is the number of carbon atoms, indicating that for every carbon atom, there are typically one or two water molecules in terms of hydrogen and oxygen.
Carbohydrates are classified into three main categories:
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Monosaccharides: These are the simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar units (e.g., glucose, fructose).
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Disaccharides: These consist of two monosaccharide units bonded together (e.g., sucrose, lactose).
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Polysaccharides: These are long chains of monosaccharide units and can be branched or unbranched (e.g., starch, glycogen, cellulose).
Overall, the elemental composition of carbohydrates is vital to their function as a source of energy, structural components, and as recognition molecules in biological systems.