Tag: General formula

In biochemistry, fatty acids are fundamental components of lipids and are classified based on the presence or absence of double bonds within their carbon chains. To know if a fatty acid is saturated from the formula, one must analyze the ratio of carbon atoms to hydrogen atoms and identify the presence of double bonds.

While the empirical formula $C_n(H_2O)_n$ (also written as $Cx(H_2O)y$) is often cited to define carbohydrates, not all carbohydrates conform to this simple ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. In fact, several biologically critical carbohydrates do not follow the general formula due to modifications or the process of polymerization.