LIPIDS

LIPIDS

1. Triglycerides!

   • Triglycerides(Fats) are a kind of lipid. A triglyceride is made of 1 molecule of GLYCEROL, with 3 FATTY ACIDS attached to it. These fatty acids have long tails made of hydrocarbon chains. These tails are HYDROPHOBIC, and make lipids INSOLUBLE.
     • All these tails are the same and have the same basic structure With a different hydrocarbon tail. Represented by the letter R. An O (with a double bond) and a OH connected to a C atom. Which its self connects to the variable R group
   • They are formed by CONDENSATION REACTIONS, broken up by HYDROLYSIS REACTIONS. Three fatty acids and a single glycerol are joined together by an ESTER BOND.
     • A HYDROGEN atom on the glycerol molecule binds to the HYDROXYL (OH) group on the fatty acid releasing a water molecule. Hydrolysis is the reverse of this, a molecule of water is added to each of the ESTER BONDS, in order to break it and split the triglyceride into fatty acids and a glycerol molecule.

2. Saturated/Unsaturated!

   • Saturated lipids have no double bonds within the hydrocarbon chain, whereas unsaturated lipids have a double bond. This causes the kink, and a molecule with more than one double bond, is polyunsaturated.
     • Saturated lipids are most commonly found in animal fats, unsaturated lipids are most common in plants, such as olive oil. Unsaturated lipids also melt at lower temperatures than saturated ones, that's why margerine is easier to spread than butter!