Final answer:
Molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are known as organic compounds, specifically carbohydrates. These include energies providing monosaccharides like glucose, as well as structural components like cellulose and starch.
Step-by-step explanation:
Molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are commonly known as organic compounds, specifically carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are one of the four major classes of organic molecules found in living organisms, with the other three being lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbon is the fundamental component that defines an organic compound. It has the unique ability to form four covalent bonds with other atoms, creating a vast diversity of organic compounds necessary for life.Carbohydrates are not only essential for providing energy to organisms but also serve as structural components. The simplest forms of carbohydrates are monosaccharides like glucose, which have basic ring structures or chains of carbon atoms. While most carbohydrates have the suffix '-ose,' they can also have other names, such as starch. Carbohydrates can also include nitrogen, phosphorus, and/or sulfur, but the core elements are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.