Chapter 23, Problem 5RQ

To determine

The most abundant organic compound on Earth.

Answer to Problem 5RQ

The most abundant organic compound on Earth iscarbohydrates.

Explanation of Solution

The important class of biomolecules is carbohydrates. These include compounds like sugar, starches, glycogen, cellulose and gums. They are broadly distributed in animal and plant kingdom and thus can be obtained from plants.

Carbohydrates are found in plants by a process named as photosynthesis and make up about $70\%$ of the solid plant material.

The general chemical equation for the formation of carbohydrate by photosynthesis is shown below.

$x{\text{CO}}_2+y{\text{H}}_2\text{O}\underset{\text{Chlorophyll}}{\overset{\text{Sunlight}}{\to }}\underset{\text{Carbohydrate}}{{\text{C}}_x{\left({\text{H}}_2\text{O}\right)}_y}+x{\text{O}}_2$

Carbohydrates play a vital role in our daily life. They provide us with three basic necessities of life that is food in the form starch, clothing like cotton, linen and rayon which are made of cellulose and shelter which is again in the forms of cellulose.

Thus, the carbohydrates are considered as the most abundant organic compound on Earth.

Conclusion:

Carbohydrates play an important role in daily life as it provides the three basic necessities of life that is food, clothing and shelter. Thus, it considered as the most abundant organic compound.