The first class of biomolecules we will discuss are the carbohydrates. These molecules are comprised of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). Commonly, these molecules are known as sugars. Carbohydrates can range in size from very small to very large. Like all the other biomolecules, carbohydrates are often built into long chains by stringing together smaller units. This works like adding beads to a bracelet to make it longer. The general term for a single unit or bead is a monomer. The term for a long string of monomers is a polymer.
Examples of carbohydrates include the sugars found in milk (lactose) and table sugar (sucrose). Depicted below is the structure of the monomer sugar glucose, a major source of energy for our body.
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