Lipids

Question 1

what is the function of lipids?

Answer 1

storing energy (long-term energy storage, more energy/grams vs carbs)

building cell membrane (phospholipids and cholesterol)

chemical signalling molecules

cushioning organs and insulation

Question 2

what are the categories of lipids

Answer 2

fats, phospholipids, waxes, steroids

Question 3

what is the difference between one fatty acid and another?

Answer 3

the length of the carbon chain, and the type of bond

Question 4

what are the properties of a saturated fatty acid?

Answer 4

carbons with single bonds to hydrogen

linear, because of this they can stack together closely and be solid at room temperature

Question 5

what are the properties of an unsaturated fatty acid

Answer 5

this includes at least one double bond

(if it only has one double bond this would be a monounsaturated fatty acid)

bent, because if this they cannot stack on top of each other nicely and closely together, therefore they would be liquid at room temperature

Question 6

what does polyunsaturated mean

Answer 6

this means there are many C=C’s, therefore there would be lots of kinks

Question 7

why are glycerols created?

Answer 7

since carbon chains are too long, they connect in threes to glycerol, this is overall called a triglyceride

Question 8

how is body fat created?

Answer 8

carbohydrates are converted into fat which is then stored as droplets in the adipose tissue

Question 9

what is a condensation reaction?

Answer 9

a reaction that results in a covalent bond between two interacting subunits taking away the hydrogen atoms, more specifically one H from a subunit and an H from an OH of another subunit

the bond created is called an ester bond and this process is called an esterification

Question 10

what is the structure of fatty acids?

Answer 10

contains a carboxyl group at on end attached to a carbon chain (usually 16 to 18 C long)

Question 11

saturated vs unsaturated vs polyunsaturated

Answer 11

saturated, think the maximum number of hydrogen atoms
unsaturated, think less than the maximum number of hydrogen atoms

polyunsaturated, think many carbon double bonds

Question 12

how would you describe the formation of fat?

Answer 12

there is always glycerol as a base, and it’s attached to either one, two, three fatty acids which help create their names, monoglyceride, diglycerides, triglyceride

Question 13

why are carbon chains put into a condensed form?

Answer 13

the condensed form makes it easier to observe

Question 14

carboxyl vs carbonyl

Answer 14

carbonyl group consist of a carbon double bonded to oxygen whereas a carboxyl group consist of carbons double bonded to oxygen along with a hydroxyl group (hence why its name ends in “xyl”)

Question 15

what is the structure of phospholipids?

Answer 15

glycerol connected to two fatty acids similar to diglycerides but it has a highly polar phosphate group

Question 16

in phospholipids what is the difference between the fatty acids and the phosphate group?

Answer 16

the difference is that fatty acids have a hydrophobic head whereas a phosphate group has a hydrophophillic head

Question 17

what does amphipathic mean?

Answer 17

a structure containing hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts

Question 18

what does the amphipathic nature of phospholipids allow phospholipids to do?

Answer 18

allows it to form a variety of cellular structures. theses structures can be manipulated for biotechnological purposes or medical purposes

Question 19

what is a bilayer?

Answer 19

this is a film two molecules thick. its head is hydrophilic and its inner body is hydrophobic

Question 20

liposome vs micelle

Answer 20

for liposome, its outer surface is composed of a lipid bilayer, and the layer next to that on the interior is called an aqueous internal compartment, with the middle known as the core of the aqueous compartment. micelle outer surface consists of a closed lipid monolayer with a fatty interior and polar outsides of the structure could be the inverse, a polar core and fatty exterior

Question 21

what do steroids function as in the body?

Answer 21

they function as hormones throughout various locations of the body
also in the structure of some memebranes

Question 22

what is the structure of a steroid?

Answer 22

17 carbons atoms arranged in four rings attached to several functional groups

Question 23

what are waxes and how are they structured?

Answer 23

they are the final category of lipids and they are complex molecules containing long-chain fatty acids connected to alcohol or carbon ring. they are hydrophobic and have a firm consistency, this makes them useful for the outer coating of plants