Lipids Flashcards
What are the two building blocks of lipids?
glycerol and fatty acids
Fatty acids
Long skeleton of 16-18 carbons
Last carbon is carboxyl
Why are fatty acids hydrophobic?
Because of hydrocarbons
Glycerol is composed of
3 hydroxyl groups, 2 oxygens, and 2 carbonyl groups
Triacylglycerol
Result of 3 fatty acid ester linkages to glycerol through dehydration reaction between carboxyl and hydroxyl groups.
Saturated fatty acid
No double bonds between carbon atoms
Carbon skeleton collects hydrogen atoms, saturation of hydrogen
Unsaturated fatty acid
One or more double bonds
Fewer hydrogen bonds on each double bonded carbon
Cis double bond
Causes a bend in the hydrocarbon chain, prevents molecules from packing together tightly
Which fats do animals have?
Saturated fats
Which fats do fish and plants have?
Unsaturated, cis double bonded fats
hydrogenating and is harmful because
it produces saturated fats and unsaturated trans fats, which cause heart diseases & clogged arteries
Phospholipids
Major constituents of cell membranes
Important to the existence of cells
Phospholipid structure
2 fatty acid tails attached to one glycerol head.
Glycerol head is hydrophilic and fatty acid tails are hydrophobic
True
Phospholipid molecular structure:
Hydrophilic head is a polar molecule linked to a phosphate group.
Third hydroxyl of glycerol is joined to a phosphate group
