Is an organic compound that contains only the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is most likely a carbohydrate, a protein, or DNA? Why?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 6, 2016

It is clearly a carbohydrate.

Explanation:

Proteins, including DNA, contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and ALSO NITROGEN; the presence of nitrogen is characteristic. Without nitrogen, the material cannot be a protein or DNA.

Just to add that the clue is in the very name...#"carbo-HYDRATE"#, i.e. #C*H_2O#...carbon and water, i.e. carbon, and hydrogen, and oxygen...

Related questions
See all questions in Biochemical Molecules
Impact of this question
9663 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License