Final answer:
Carbohydrates do not act as catalysts for chemical reactions; instead, they serve as energy sources, structural components, and cell type identifiers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Act as a catalyst of chemical reactions.
Carbohydrates play several critical roles in living organisms. They provide an essential energy source for cells, with glucose being broken down to create ATP, which is used in various metabolic processes to ensure proper cellular function. Carbohydrates also serve as a structural component in cell walls of plants, and in the case of chitin, in the exoskeletons of insects and other organisms. Additionally, certain carbohydrates, often found on the outer surface of the cell, help with cell type identification through cell-cell recognition and communication. However, carbohydrates do not act as catalysts of chemical reactions; this is instead a function typically carried out by proteins known as enzymes.
Carbohydrates serve a variety of functions in cells. They can act as a structural component of cells and organisms, provide an energy source, and help as an identifier of cell type. However, carbohydrates do not act as a catalyst of chemical reactions.