Question

Sugars and starches are ____.
a.
lipids
c.
hydrocarbons
b.
proteins
d.
carbohydrates

Answer 1

They are carbohydrates. We usually say that carbohydrates are having the characteristic of having oxygen and hydrogen in the same ratio as water (thereby the name hydrate) and containing carbon. However this is not very described as we know a number of molecules with the same characteristic but not considered carbohydrates.
The general formula for many carbohydrates:
\[C _{n}(H _{2}O)_{m}\]
But to take a simple monosaccharide glucose:
C6H12O6
We see it follow what I said very good.
Often are carbohydrates referred to as saccharides, from latin saccharum or greek sacchar meaning sugar.