The macromolecules are mostly composed of carbon, oxygen, and a hydrogen atom. The carbohydrates contain these atoms in the ratio of 1:2:1 represented by the formula [tex](\textbf{CH}_{2}\textbf{O})_{n}[/tex] .
Further Explanation:
The carbohydrates and lipids are identified by using the C:H:O ratio but lipids have very low oxygen content as compared to the carbohydrates. The proteins also contain sulfur and nitrogen along with carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. The carbohydrates are composed of water and carbon dioxide by the photosynthesis process in the plants. The components like potatoes, vegetables, cereals, and fruits contain carbohydrates.
The carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides, polysaccharides and disaccharides depending on the carbon chain length. The simple sugars or monosaccharides provide energy to the cell as they breakdown and produce ATP. These are fructose, galactose, and glucose. The disaccharides consist of two units of monosaccharide that are linked together through a dehydration reaction. In this reaction, a water molecule is released as the hydrogen of one monosaccharide binds with the hydroxyl (-OH) group of another monosaccharide forming a glycosidic linkage. For example, glucose combines with another glucose to form maltose. Other disaccharides are sucrose (glucose + fructose) and lactose (glucose + galactose).
The polysaccharides such as starch and glycogen are storage polymers which are stored as an energy source respectively in plants and animals. Starch is stored in the seeds to provide food to the developing embryo. Glycogen is used by humans and animals as a source of energy and is cleaved into respective glucose units through digestive enzymes before its conversion into ATP. Chitin and cellulose are also polysaccharides that help a cell in providing the structural support.
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Answer Details:
Grade: High School
Subject: Biology
Chapter: Carbohydrates
Keywords:
Carbohydrates, proteins, oils, lipids, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, disaccharides, glucose, galactose, fructose, structural support, chitin, cellulose, storage polymers, starch, glycogen, ATP.
