Biology - Topic 1 Biological Molecules - Carbohydrates 1

What are organic compounds

Biological molecules are the key to the structure and function of loving things. Biological molecules ae often organic compounds. Organic compounds all contain carbon atoms. They also contain hydrogen, oxygen, and less frequently sulphur, phosphorus and nitrogen. 

Each carbon atom can make 4 bonds so it can join with 4 other atoms. Carbon atoms bond particulary strongly to other carbons to make long chains. In some carbon compounds small molecules (monomers) bond with many similar units to make a very large molecule called a polymer. 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a energy source and store energy in organisms such as plants, fungi and bacteria. The best known carbohydrates are sucrose and starch. There are 3 main groups of carbohydrates - monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. 

Monosaccharides- The simple Sugars

Monosaccharides are simple…