Carbohydrates include sugars and their polymers. Monosaccharides have the general formula of (CH2O)n. The number of these units forming a sugar varies from three to seven with hexases, trioses, and pentoses found most commonly. A sugar can be an aldose or a ketose depending on the location of the carbonyl group. Additional diversity is provided by the spatial arrangement of parts around asymmetric carbons. These small structural differences affect the recognition and interaction of molecules within cells. Glucose is broken down to yield energy in cellular respiration. …
