This assignment is primarily about lipids, triglyceride, unsaturated and saturated fats I will be stating the formation of lipids and what they are made of.

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Joe Parr 12 hol

Biology Assignment

Lipids

        This assignment is primarily about lipids, triglyceride, unsaturated and saturated fats I will be stating the formation of lipids and what they are made of.

        Lipids are a group of substances which include fats and oils, steroids which include cholesterol and some of the sex hormones, and various other substances such as the waxes which cover insect bodies and plant leaves. Lipids are a mixed group of hydrophobic compounds composed of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Triglycerides are commonly called fats or oils. They are made of glycerol and fatty acids. They are present in a wide range of living organisms and help to insulate and protect animals such as seal and marine birds.

If there are no C=C double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain, then it is a saturated fatty acid (i.e. saturated with hydrogen). These fatty acids form straight chains, and have a high melting point.

If there are C=C double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain, then it is an unsaturated fatty acid. These fatty acids form bent chains, and have a low melting point. Fatty acids with more than one double bond are called poly-unsaturated fatty acids.

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One molecule of glycerol joins together with three fatty acid molecules to form a triglyceride molecule, in another condensation polymerisation reaction.

Phospholipids have a similar structure to triglycerides, but with a phosphate group in place of one fatty acid chain. There may also be other groups attached to the phosphate. Phospholipids have a polar hydrophilic head and two non-polar hydrophobic tails.

They may form a double-layered phospholipids bilayer. This traps a compartment of water in the middle separated from the external water by the hydrophobic sphere. This structure is called a liposome, and is similar to ...

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