What is the monomer of carbohydrates?

The monomer of carbohydrates is a monosaccharide. These are simple sugars that cannot be broken down into smaller sugar units through hydrolysis. Common examples include:

• Glucose: A hexose (6-carbon sugar) that's the most abundant monosaccharide and a primary energy source for living organisms.
• Fructose: A hexose found in fruits and honey. Isomeric to glucose, meaning it has the same chemical formula but a different structural arrangement.
• Galactose: A hexose found in milk sugar (lactose). Also isomeric to glucose.
• Ribose and Deoxyribose: Pentose (5-carbon) sugars that are crucial components of RNA and DNA respectively.

Monosaccharides are characterized by:

• A carbonyl group (C=O): This can be an aldehyde (at the end of the carbon chain, aldose) or a ketone (within the carbon chain, ketose).
• Multiple hydroxyl groups (-OH): These give monosaccharides their hydrophilic (water-loving) nature.
• A general formula of (CH₂O)ₙ, where n is usually 3, 5, or 6.

These monosaccharides can link together through glycosidic bonds to form larger carbohydrate structures like disaccharides (two monosaccharides) and polysaccharides (many monosaccharides).