lipids Flashcards
what is a lipid?
a fat, either a triglyceride or a phospholipid
what is a triglyceride?
a lipid which has 1 glycerol and three fatty acids
what is a fatty acid?
a differing, hydrophobic extension of a lipid, and the only thing that changes
what is the chemical formula of glycerol?
C3 H8 O3 (lipid backbone)
what is a carboxylic group?
COOH, found in fatty acids and amino acids
what does it mean for a fat to be saturated?
it has only single bonds in the fatty acids (max number of hydrogen atoms)
what does it mean for a fat to be monounsaturated?
it has only one double C=C bond in the fatty acids (could have one extra hydrogen atom)
what does it mean for a fat to be polyunsaturated?
it contains many double C=C bonds in the fatty acids (could have many more hydrogen atoms)
what is a phospholipid?
a lipid with only two fatty acids and a phosphate head in place of the third one
what is a phosphate head?
a hydrophillic molecule containing phosphorus
what does it mean for a molecule to be hydrophobic?
it repels water
what does it mean for a molecule to be hydrophillic?
it attracts water
where is an ester bond found?
between the glycerol backbone and fatty acids in a lipid
