How do carbohydrates differ from hydrocarbons?

Question

Penelope Adams · Accepted Answer

Easily by their structure of course...

Both organic groups of molecules—hydrocarbons and carbohydrates—contain both carbon and hydrogen. Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, whereas hydrocarbons are only composed of carbon and hydrogen. This is the primary distinction between these two classes of molecules. As such, an example of a hydrocarbon would be propane #(C_3H_8)#, while an example of a carbohydrate would be glucose #(C_6H_12O_6)#.

Piper Anderson · Answer

undefined **Carbohydrates:** 1. They are organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
2. They are a major source of energy for living things.
3. Examples include sugars, starches, and fibers.
4. They are categorized into simple and complex carbohydrates based on their structure.
** Hydrocarbons:** 1. They are organic compounds composed of only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
2. They are not usually used as a direct energy source in living things.
3. Examples include methane, ethane, propane, and octane.
4. They are categorized into alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatic hydrocarbons based on their structure.