What's the difference between hydrocarbons and carbohydrates?

“Hydrocarbon” and “carbohydrate” sound similar but are two very different types of compounds. Hydrocarbons consist of purely carbon and hydrogen, while carbohydrates also contain oxygen. read more

Hydrocarbons are the simplest organic, or carbon-based, compounds. They are made only of carbon and hydrogen but can be virtually any size and shape. Methane, or swamp gas, is the simplest hydrocarbon, with the chemical formula CH4. read more

On the other hand, carbohydrates can be composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. There is of course the difference in their uses and the forms we find them in. Propane, methane, butane, are all examples of hydrocarbons and are typically used as fuels. Carbohydrates can be found in foods like rice. read more