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Carbohydrates: Short-Term Energy Storage Carbohydrates include biologically important molecules, sugars & starches. These molecules provide short-term energy to cells. Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The carbon provides the “back-bone” of the molecule. Carbohydrates, like many other organic molecules, may be monomers or polymers. The carbohydrates in the monomer form are known as monosaccharides. Glucose, for example, is a monosaccharide. Disaccharides are sugars that are made of 2 monosacchrides. Sucrose is an example of a disaccharide. Desaccharides are formed by a process called dehydration synthesis ( also known as condensation reaction). In this process, a molecule of water is split out as the bond is formed. The disaccharides are broken down into monomers by a process called hydrolysis. Hydrolysis occurs when a molecule of water is used up as a bond is broken to make 2 smaller products.
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