Is an organic compound that contains only the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is most likely a carbohydrate, a protein, or DNA? Why?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 6, 2016

It is clearly a carbohydrate.

Explanation:

Proteins, including DNA, contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and ALSO NITROGEN; the presence of nitrogen is characteristic. Without nitrogen, the material cannot be a protein or DNA.

Just to add that the clue is in the very name...#"carbo-HYDRATE"#, i.e. #C*H_2O#...carbon and water, i.e. carbon, and hydrogen, and oxygen...

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