Carbon can form four covalent bonds with other atoms to form organic molecules of several configurations. The orientations of the atoms attached to a carbon backbone give rise to the three-dimensional shapes and functions of biological molecules. C. Functional Groups 1. Carbohydrates A. A carbohydrate is a simple sugar or a larger molecule composed of sugar units. Carbohydrates are the most abundant biological molecules.
Carbohydrates have structural roles and serve as forms of transportable and stored energy.
The Simple Sugars 1. A monosaccharide, one sugar unit, is the simplest carbohydrate. Simple sugars are soluble in water and may be sweet-tasting. C. Short-Chain Carbohydrates 1. A disaccharide is a short chain resulting from the covalent bonding of two monosaccharides.a.