Fats and Oils

What are fats and oils chemically known as?

Triglycerides - which are classified esters

What are triglycerides composed of

• Alcohol: Glycerol (Propan - 1,2,3 - triol)

• Carboxylic Acid: Three fatty acids molecules (long chain carboxylic acids)

What are saturated fatty acids?

• Contain only C - C single bonds

What are monounsaturated fatty acids?

• Contain only one C = C double bond

What are polyunsaturated fatty acids?

• Contain several C = C double bonds

What type of fat do animal triglycerides tend to be?

• Saturated Fats

What type of fat does vegetable triglycerides tend to be?

• Unsaturated Fats

Differences in melting point and room temperature for saturated vs unsaturated fats explanation

• Animal fats (which are usually saturated fatty acids) are mostly solid at room temperature and thus have a higher boiling point than vegetable oils (unsaturated fats)

• The fatty acids in vegetable oils are mostly unsaturated; thus, the double bond/s in the carbon chain of the fatty acids cause kinks (bends) in the chain; this means that the triglycerides can’t pack that closely and the dispersion forces cannot act over the whole surface area of the molecules.