Lipids Flashcards
(29 cards)
what elements do lipids contain?
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
which have less oxygen lipids or carbohydrates?
lipids
are lipids polar or non-polar?
non-polar
are lipids soluble in water?
no
what will lipids dissolve in?
organic solvents such as alcohol
Due to lipids being non-polar and insoluble in water what are they described to be?
hydrophobic
what 2 molecules are lipids made up of?
fatty acids and glycerol
what are the names of the 2 types of lipids?
triglycerides and phospholipids
what are fatty acids?
- long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms
- carboxyl group at one end (COOH)
what is a saturated fatty acid?
contains no c=c bond
what is an unsaturated fatty acid?
contains at least 1 c=c bond
- 1 c=c bond is monosaturated
- 2+ c=c bond is polysaturated
what is the structure of a saturated fatty acid?
straight shape so they can be tightly packed, therefore they’re solid
what’s the structure of an unsaturated fatty acid?
the chain kinks where the c=c bond is so they can’t be packed as tightly therefore they’re in a liquid state
what are triglycerides made up of?
3 fatty acids and 1 glycerol
what bonds attach the fatty acids to the glycerol?
ester bonds via a condensation reaction (remove 3 water)
what does the condensation reaction on a triglycerides occur between?
the carboxyl group (COOH) on the fatty acid and the hydroxyl group (OH) on the glycerol
why are triglycerides a good energy storage?
lots of C-H bonds that store lots of energy
how can triglycerides act as a metabolic water source?
they release water when they’re oxidised
why is the fact that lipids are large and hydrophobic an advantage?
they won’t effect the water potential and osmosis in a cell
why is it good lipids are low in mass?
a lot can be stored in an animal without increasing mass
what are phospholipids made up of?
a glycerol, 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group
how do the 2 fatty acids bond to the glycerol?
via 2 condensation reactions (release 2 water molecules) forming 2 ester bonds
what’s the phosphate molecule described as?
- hydrophilic head (towards the water as it is charged)
- as it’s charged it repels other fats
what’s the fatty acid chain described as?
the hydrophobic tail as it repels water but will mix with fats