Final answer:
Carbohydrates in living things consist of two main structures: monosaccharides and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides are simple sugars that serve as a source of energy for cells, while polysaccharides include storage forms of glucose and structural components of cell walls.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbohydrates in living things consist of two main structures: monosaccharides and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides are single sugar molecules, while polysaccharides are made up of many sugar molecules bonded together.
Examples of monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose, which are simple sugars that serve as a source of energy for cells. Polysaccharides, on the other hand, include starch, glycogen, and cellulose. Starch and glycogen are storage forms of glucose in plants and animals, respectively, while cellulose provides structural support to the cell walls of plants.