Introduction to Lipids

Question 1

What are lipids and what are their primary roles?

Answer 1

oily or fatty substance
1. in adipose cells, triglycerides store energy
2. in cellular membranes, phospholipids constitute a barrier between intracellular and extracellular environments
3. cholesterol is a special lipid that serves as the building block for the hydrophobic steroid hormones

Question 2

What are fatty acids composed of?

Answer 2

long unsubstituted alkanes that end in carboxylic acid

Question 3

What does it mean to be saturated? Unsaturated?

Answer 3

saturated - every carbon atom in the chain is covalently bonded to the maximum number of hydrogens
unsaturated - one or more double bonds in the tail

Question 4

What is a micelle?

Answer 4

structure that is formed when fatty acids interact with an aqueous solution

Question 5

What is the force that drives the tail of fatty acids into the center of the micelle?

Answer 5

hydrophobic interaction

Question 6

What is a solvation shell?

Answer 6

when water forms a shell around hydrophobic substances due to hydrophobic interaction