Short essay on Carbohydrates Molecules of Cell

Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones and the compounds derived from these.

These are compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The simplest forms of carbohydrates have the empirical formula C_n (H₂0) _n where ‘n’ are a number.

This formula indicates as if the simplest carbohydrates are hydrates of carbon and hence the name is carbohydrates. But, some carbohydrates do not have this empirical formula. Carbohydrates are otherwise known as saccharine (G. Saccharon: Sweet) but all carbohydrates are not sweet.

Broadly, carbohydrates are classified into three categories:

(i) monosaccharide

(ii) oligosaccharides, and

(iii) Polysaccharides.