What is the general term for any carbohydrate monomer?

The general term for any carbohydrate monomer is a monosaccharide. Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates and cannot be broken down into smaller carbohydrate units by hydrolysis. They are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in a ratio of 1:2:1.

Some examples of monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Glucose is the most common monosaccharide and is an essential source of energy for living organisms. Fructose is commonly found in fruits and has a sweet taste, while galactose is found in dairy products and is less commonly encountered in its free form.

Monosaccharides can exist as either a straight chain or a ring structure. In aqueous solutions, they often form a ring structure due to the reaction between the carbonyl (C=O) group and a hydroxyl (OH) group on the same molecule, resulting in the formation of a hemiacetal or hemiketal group.

Monosaccharides can combine with each other through dehydration synthesis reactions to form disaccharides (e.g., sucrose, lactose) and polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose, starch, glycogen). These larger carbohydrate molecules serve various functions in living organisms, including energy storage, structural support, and cell signaling.