What are carbohydrates made up of?

1 Answer
Dec 25, 2015

They are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 1:2:1

Explanation:

These atoms are used to make building units. The building units contain three to nine carbon atoms with the hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio mentioned.
In nature, we find pentoses (5 carbon sugar) and hexoses(6 carbon sugar) , but in the metabolic pathways we find all the other types.
The building units can be connected to make disacharides (two units) and polysacharides ( many units).