Chapter 10 Flashcards
A fatty acid has a long _____ chain and a polar _____ at the head
Carbon
Carboxylic acid
What are the physical differences between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?
Saturated fatty acids are normally solids at room temperature and have greater melting points than unsaturated fats because of their long, straight carbon chain that is easy to stack on top of other chains.
Unsaturated fatty acids are normally liquids at room temperature and have lower melting points than saturated fats, because the cis double bond creates a kink that prevents them from stacking nicely on top of each other
How does the appearance of the carbon chain differ between a trans and cis unsaturated fatty acid?
A trans unsaturated acid does not have kinks, so it maintains similar properties to an unsaturated fatty acid. This is because the double bond does not interrupt the linear chain, so the chains are still able to stack relatively well on top of each other
A cis unsaturated fatty acid creates kinks in the chain, which makes it more difficult to stack with other fatty acids
How would you name an omega acid?
Count the location of the double bonds when counting backwards on the chain (Towards the carboxylic acid)
What intermolecular forces do fatty acids participate in?
Van der Waals between the chains
Fatty acids can be partially ______ to create trans bonds
Hydrogenated
What role do trans fats play in membranes and inflammation?
Adding trans fats in membrane lipids decreases flexibility and changes processes like receptors
Cause an increase in inflammation by increasing plasma levels that correlate with poor cardiovascular health
What is the purpose of TAG’s? (triacylglycerols)
They live in the cytosol and can be used as backup energy once the glycogen supply is used up. They can also serve as insulation
(Energy and insulation)
What are TAG’s structure and how does their solubility compare to that of its parent molecules alone?
TAG’s are create a triester between a glycerol backbone and three fatty acid chains
They are more insoluble than the parent molecules, because they are more non-polar than on their own
How do glycogen and TAG’s differ in terms of energy storage?
Glycogen is branched, so it is consumed for energy much faster than TAG’s. This means that glycogen is good for short term storage, while TAG’s are preferable for long term storage. TAG’s are also water insoluble, so they can be accessed without hydration
Fats are higher in calories because _____
They are made up of a long carbon chain
Waxes are long chains of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids that contain _____ and ______ and have ______ melting points than TAGs
Esters and alcohols
Higher melting points
What is the difference in backbone between a glycerol and sphingosine?
The glycerol backbone has three groups that attach to it– the two fatty acid chains and a polar head phospho or glyco lipid
The sphingosine backbone bends, so it only has two groups attached to it– one fatty acid chain and a polar head that’s either a phospo or glyco group
In what ways do storage lipids differ from structural lipids?
Storage lipids like TAG do not need a polar head. Structural lipids do need a polar head so that they can interact with things on either side of the membrane
Glycolipids are sphingolipids that have one or more _____ linked to the primary hydroxyl
Sugar
