HIRA NASEERBS (HONS) CHEMISTRY UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION LAHORE,VEHARI CAMPUS

Fats (Oils)

Fats(oils) Fats are esters of fatty acids and

glycerol.

Fats build cell parts and supply energy for cellular activities.

Fats have following properties: fats molecules are composed

primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Some fats small amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen. They also contain a much smaller proportion of oxygen than carbohydrates. For example the formula of the fat tristearin is C65H 110O6.

Fatty acids contain a long hydrocarbon chains bonded to carboxylic (COOH) group.

Glycerol is a three-carbon alcohol, with each carbon bearing a hydroxyl (OH) group. Three fatty acids molecules combine with one glycerol molecule. They are attached to the three carbon atoms in the glycerol backbone.

Stearic acid

Stearin

The fats with fatty acids are called triglyceride neutral fat or triacylglycerol. The glycerol portion of every molecule is the same. But there are many kinds of fatty acids. Therefore, there are many kinds of fats. Fatty acids molecules differ in the length of their carbon chains and in the ways the carbon atoms combine. The most common are even-numbered chains of 14 to 30 carbons.

Examples