Table of Contents
What are the large molecules that make up fats and oils?
Fats and oils are composed of triglycerides, made up of glycerol (1,2,3-trihydroxypropane) and 3 fatty acids to form a triester. Triglycerides are found in the blood, and stored in fat cells. Complete hydrolysis of triacylglycerols yields three fatty acids and a glycerol molecule.
How are fat and oil molecules created?
The acid molecules can either be saturated or unsaturated. The fats and oils formed are also known as triglycerides. Like other esters, fats and oils are formed by a reversible reaction. Oils (liquids at room temperature) contain more carbon to carbon double bonds than fats (solid at room temperature).
How are fats made in the cell?
Lipids are made, in part, from molecules called fatty acids, which come from digested dietary fats. Various lipids and proteins make up the membrane around the ER, which is the largest membrane system inside a cell.
What molecules make up fat?
A fat molecule consists of two main components: glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is an alcohol with three carbons, five hydrogens, and three hydroxyl (OH) groups. Fatty acids have a long chain of hydrocarbons with a carboxyl group attached and may have 4-36 carbons; however, most of them have 12-18.
What are fats and oils made of?
Fats and oils are composed of molecules known as triglycerides, which are esters composed of three fatty acid units linked to glycerol. An increase in the percentage of shorter-chain fatty acids and/or unsaturated fatty acids lowers the melting point of a fat or oil.
Where do fats and oils come from?
The animal fats used by humans are butter, suet (beef fat), lard (pork fat), and fish oils. Important vegetable oils include olive oil, peanut (groundnut) oil, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, rape oil, sesame (gingelly) oil, mustard oil, red palm oil, and corn oil.
What produces lipids and fats in a cell?
The organelle called ‘endoplasmic reticulum’ occurs in both plants and animals and is a very important manufacturing site for lipids (fats) and many proteins. Many of these products are made for and exported to other organelles.
How does a fat cell function?
Fat cells provide triglycerides to fuel much of the body’s internal work and physical activity. The layer of fat under the skin insulates the body to keep it warm. Pads of fat act as shock absorbers and support and cushion vital organs.
What is the composition of fats and oils?
Fats and oils are organic compounds that, like carbohydrates, are composed of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O), arranged to form molecules. There are many types of fats and oils and a number of terms and concepts associated with them, which are detailed further here.
What molecule is oil?
Lipids are fats and oils . Lipids are large molecules made from smaller units of fatty acids and glycerol.
How are fats and oils formed in the body?
Most fats and oils are formed by a condensation reaction (esterification reaction) between a single molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acids, three molecules of water is also made in this reaction. Fats and oils formed in this process are called triglycerides.
How are fat molecules different from oil molecules?
Fat molecules do not have the same degree of distortion and can pack closely together. This increases their melting point. The poorer packing in oils makes London dispersion forces between the oil molecules weaker than between fat molecules.
How are fats and oils formed in a condensation reaction?
Oils are liquids. Most fats and oils are formed by a condensation reaction (esterification reaction) between a single molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acids, three molecules of water is also made in this reaction. Fats and oils formed in this process are called triglycerides.
Why are fats and oils important to living organisms?
Describe the importance of key reactions of triglycerides, such as hydrolysis, hydrogenation, and oxidation. Fats and oils are the most abundant lipids in nature. They provide energy for living organisms, insulate body organs, and transport fat-soluble vitamins through the blood.