Lipids Flashcards
What are the two main types of lipids?
Triglycerides and phospholipids
These are the primary classifications of lipids based on their structure and function.
What is a triglyceride made up of?
One glycerol and three fatty acids
Triglycerides serve as energy-storage molecules.
What is a phospholipid made up of?
One glycerol, two fatty acids, and one phosphate group
Phospholipids are essential for forming cell membranes.
What holds triglycerides and phospholipids together?
Ester bonds
Ester bonds are a type of covalent bond that link glycerol and fatty acids.
What distinguishes saturated fatty acids from unsaturated fatty acids?
Unsaturated fatty acids contain carbon-carbon double bonds
Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms.
Describe the solubility characteristics of triglycerides.
Insoluble in water but soluble in ethanol
This property helps maintain cell water potential.
What is the hydrophilic part of a phospholipid?
The phosphate group
The hydrophobic tails are made up of fatty acids.
What is the function of phospholipids in cells?
They form bilayers used to make membranes
This structure is crucial for cell compartmentalization.
What is the biochemical test for lipids called?
Emulsion test
This test involves adding ethanol to dissolve lipids and then mixing with water.
What happens during the emulsion test if lipids are present?
A white emulsion will form
This indicates the presence of lipids in the sample.
Fill in the blank: A triglyceride contains _______ fatty acids.
three
This is in contrast to phospholipids, which contain two fatty acids.
Fill in the blank: Phospholipids have a _______ head and _______ tails.
hydrophilic, hydrophobic
This dual nature is important for membrane formation.
True or False: Both triglycerides and phospholipids contain glycerol.
True
Glycerol is a common component in both types of lipids.
What is the role of triglycerides in the body?
Energy-storage molecules
They store energy for later use and are important for metabolism.
How do phospholipids orient themselves in water?
Tails are as far away from the water as possible
This orientation leads to the formation of lipid bilayers.
