lipids and water Flashcards
how would you test for lipids in a sample?
put a sample in a test tube, add the same amount of ethanol and water and shake, positive result = milky white emulsion
how do triglycerides form?
condensation reaction between 1 molecule of glycerol and 3 fatty acids forms water bonds
what is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?
saturated only have single bonds whereas unsaturated have double bonds. saturated are in a straight chain, have a higher melting point and are solid at room temperature. unsaturated have lower melting points, kinky chains and are liquid at room temp
what are the functions of triglycerides?
energy storage (long term), insulation, buoyancy, protection
what’s the function of phospholipids?
main component of cell membranes, hydrophobic tails form a bilayer acting as a barker to water soluble molecules
what are the main properties of water?
water is cohesive, adhesive, a universal solvent, and has a very high specific heat capacity
what does hydrophilic mean?
dissolves in water
what do the adhesive properties of water allow for?
allows nutrients within water to be transported to the top of the plant (transpiration)
what is cohesion?
water molecules sticking to each other
how is waters specific heat capacity useful?
it helps organisms maintain constant body temperature and it means water is a good habitat because of its stable temperature
what kind of molecule is water and what does this mean?
polar, it can dissolve polar and ionic substances
what are the parts of phospholipids?
hydrophilic head (polar) and hydrophobic tail (non polar)
