* Carbon (C)
* Hydrogen (H)
* Oxygen (O)
The general formula for carbohydrates is (CH₂O)n, where 'n' represents the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. This formula indicates that carbohydrates always contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a specific ratio.
Here are some examples:
* Glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆): A simple sugar with six carbon atoms.
* Sucrose (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁): Table sugar, composed of glucose and fructose.
* Starch (C₆H₁₀O₅)n: A complex carbohydrate made up of many glucose units.
While these three elements are the primary components of sugar, some sugar compounds may also contain small amounts of other elements, such as nitrogen or phosphorus.