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What is the difference between a saturated and an unsaturated fatty acids?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Saturated fatty acid molecules have no carbon-carbon double bonds, and all of the remaining carbon bonds are shared by hydrogen atoms, except the one in the carboxyl group, at the beginning of the chain.
Unsaturated fatty acid molecules also begin with the carboxyl group, but contain one or more carbon-carbon double bonds, and may contain one or more carbon atoms with a bonding electron that remains unassociated.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoUnsaturated fatty acids have double bond or triple bonds, whereas saturated fatty acids do not.
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What type of fatty acid has double bonds?
The two basic types of fatty acids are saturated and unsaturated. A fatty acid consists of a hydrocarbon chain and a carboxyl group: CH3(CH2)nCOOH Saturated fatty acids have only single bonds between the carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain ie the molecule is "saturated" with hydrogen atoms and no more can be added. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds between the carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain. Fatty acids with a single double bond are called monounsaturated. Fatty acids with two or more double bonds are called polyunsaturated. See:http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/F/Fats.html
What is the significance of double bonds in the fatty acids?
Fatty acids are either saturated or unsaturated. When a fatty acid is saturated it is literally saturated with hydrogen bonds. This only occurs when there are single bonds present. If there are double bonds present between the carbon atoms, less hyrdogen atoms are required and the fatty acid is said to be unsaturated. These unsaturated fats are easier to break down by the cells of your body because double bonds react more readily.
Why do saturated fatty acids have structures while unsaturated fatty acids have bent structures?
Because unsaturated fatty acids have many double bonds and the atoms cannot rotate freely around those double bonds. In the saturated fatty acids, there are no double bonds (only single bonds) and so the atoms are free to rotate.
Why do saturated fatty acids have straight structure while unsaturated fatty acids have bent structure?
saturated fatty acids contain more carbon atoms Saturated fatty acids have single carbon-to-carbon bonds.
Does the greater number of saturated fatty acids a membrane contains the more fluid it is?
Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds and therefore no 'kinks' in their structures. These would mean that these fatty acids can pack more closely than unsaturated fatty acids and cause the membrane to be LESS fluid.
Distinguish between saturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids?
There is no difference between saturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids. If you meant saturated fatty acids and UNsaturated fatty acids, then the unsaturated ones are the ones with double (or, theoretically, triple) bonds in the carbon chain.
What is the difference between a saturated an a unsaturated fatty acid?
Unsaturated fatty acids have double bond or triple bonds, whereas saturated fatty acids do not.
What is the main difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?
Saturated fats contain only single bonds between carbons, whereas unsaturated fats contain at least one double bond.
What is the Difference between saturated and unsaturated lipid?
The difference is related to which long chain fatty acid is incorporated. If it is a fatty acid that has double bonds, then it is an unsaturated lipid. If it contains fatty acids that have no double bonds, then it is a saturated lipid.
What is the difference between a saturated and ' unsaturated fatty acid?
Saturated fatty acids have no double covalent bonds between carbon atoms. The carbon in the chain is saturated with all the hydrogens it can hold. Saturated fatty acids account for the solid nature at room temperature of fats such as lard and butter. Unsaturated fatty acids have double bonds between carbon atoms wherever the number of hydrogens is less than two per carbon atom. Unsaturated fatty acids account for the liquid nature of vegetable oils at room temperature.
What is a distinguished characteristic of a saturated fatty acids?
Saturated fatty acids do not have double bonds between carbon atoms and unsaturated.
Are carboxylic acids are unsaturated or saturated compounds?
They are saturated compounds
Explain the difference between saturated and unsaturated lipids?
The difference is related to which long chain fatty acid is incorporated. If it is a fatty acid that has double bonds, then it is an unsaturated lipid. If it contains fatty acids that have no double bonds, then it is a saturated lipid.
What is distinguished characteristic of a saturated fatty acid?
Saturated fatty acids do not have double bonds between carbon atoms and unsaturated.
What is a distinguishably characteristic of a saturated fatty acid?
Saturated fatty acids do not have double bonds between carbon atoms and unsaturated.
What is a distinguished characteristic of saturated fatty acid?
Saturated fatty acids do not have double bonds between carbon atoms and unsaturated.
What is a distinguished characteristics of a saturated fatty acid?
Saturated fatty acids do not have double bonds between carbon atoms and unsaturated.
