What is the chemical formula of a carbohydrate?

1 Answer

The term carbohydrate can basically be translated into "carbon water".

Therefore, the typical formula for a carbohydrate is #CH_2O#.
--> Carbon with 2 Hydrogen and 1 Oxygen: #C + H_2O#

The most common sugar is glucose from the photosynthesis reaction.
Glucose has a formula of #C_6H_12O_6#.
Sucrose which is table sugar is #C_(12)H_(22)O_(11)#.
Note that in each case the hydrogen is twice the oxygen, just the same as in a water molecule.