How would you be able to structurally tell if a molecule is a lipid or carbohydrate?

1 Answer
Aug 31, 2016

Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones or compounds which yield these on hydrolysis.

Explanation:

The most common component of lipids in the body are the fatty acids. These are aliphatic carboxylic acids and have the general formula R-CO-OH where COOH [ carboxylic group ] represents the functional group.

Carbohydrates basic structure of aldehydes and ketones:

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