What is the basic unit of carbohydrates?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the fundamental building block or simplest form of carbohydrates, which refers to the basic unit that makes up carbohydrate molecules.
Answer
Monosaccharide
The basic unit of carbohydrates is a monosaccharide.
Answer for screen readers
The basic unit of carbohydrates is a monosaccharide.
More Information
Monosaccharides are simple sugars with the general chemical structure of C6H12O6. They serve as the building blocks for more complex carbohydrates like disaccharides and polysaccharides.
Tips
A common mistake is to confuse monosaccharides with other carbohydrate units like disaccharides (e.g., sucrose) or polysaccharides (e.g., starch). Remember, monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates.
Sources
- Monosaccharide - NCBI - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- What is the monomer or base unit for carbohydrates? - Study.com - homework.study.com
- Carbohydrates - StainsFile - stainsfile.com
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