Which statement correctly describes carbohydrates?

Which statement correctly describes carbohydrates?

• A. They are a main source of energy and are built from monosaccharides.
• B. They are nonpolar molecules that store energy as fats.
• C. They are primarily fats and oils.
• D. They are inorganic minerals.

Answer: (A)

Carbohydrates serve as a primary energy source and are built from monosaccharide units. Their sugar-based structure (rings of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen with several hydroxyl groups) makes them polar and typically water-soluble, enabling quick metabolism to release glucose for energy and forming storage polysaccharides like glycogen in animals and starch in plants. The other statements describe lipids (fats and oils are nonpolar and store energy in fatty acids) or inorganic minerals, which do not fit carbohydrates. So, describing carbohydrates as energy-rich molecules built from monosaccharides captures their fundamental role and composition.

Carbohydrates serve as a primary energy source and are built from monosaccharide units. Their sugar-based structure (rings of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen with several hydroxyl groups) makes them polar and typically water-soluble, enabling quick metabolism to release glucose for energy and forming storage polysaccharides like glycogen in animals and starch in plants. The other statements describe lipids (fats and oils are nonpolar and store energy in fatty acids) or inorganic minerals, which do not fit carbohydrates. So, describing carbohydrates as energy-rich molecules built from monosaccharides captures their fundamental role and composition.