CHAPTER 4

CHEMICAL
COMPOSITIONOF THE CELL
4.4 LIPIDS

Energy rich organic compounds made of :

1) carbon
2) hydrogen
3) oxygen

The percentage of oxygen in lipids is lower

than in carbohydrate.

Some lipids contain nitrogen and phosphorus.

As lipids are non-polar molecules, they are

insoluble in water but dissolve readily in other
lipids and in non-polar solvents such as ether
and ethanol.

Fats

and oils (triglycerides)

Waxes
Phospholipids
Steroids

 Store

large amounts of energy for long

terms.
Act as sources of energy.
Form a major part of the structure of cell
membranes.
Act as a metabolic source of water.
Reduce the lost of water by evaporation.

 Fats

are solid at room temperature while oils are

liquid.
Fats and oils are triglycerides.
Triglycerides is formed from a condensation
reaction between one molecules of glycerol and
three molecules of fatty acids. The bonds formed
are called ester bonds. Three molecules of water
are removed in this reaction.
Fats often contain only saturated fatty acids
while oils usually contain unsaturated fatty acids.

Glycerol
+
3 molecules of
Fatty acids

triglycerides
condensation

hydrolysis

+
3 molecules of
water

GLYCEROL
Fatty acid
fatty acid
+
condensation
Fatty acid
GLYCEROL
hydrolysis

Fatty acid

fatty acid
+

fatty acid

3H2O

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING SATURATED

FATS WITH UNSATURATED FATS

Both

SIMILARI
TIES

are triglycerides.
They yield 38kJ per
gram.
Their molecules
aggregate into globules
because of their
hydrophobic properties.

DIFFERENCES
SATURATED
FATS

TYPES OF FATS

UNSATURATED
FATS

absent

PRESENCE OF DOUBLE BONDS

IN FATTY ACIDS

presence

unable

ABILITY TO REACT WITH

ADDITIONAL HYDROGEN ATOMS

able

Solid

CONDITION AT ROOM
TEMPERATURE

Liquid

higher

MELTING POINT

lower

likely

CAUSE DISEASES OF THE

HEART AND ARTERIES

unlikely

unlikely

BECOME RANCID DUE TO

OXIDATION

likely

Butter, animal
fats

EXAMPLES

Olive oil, corn

oil

CREATE BY : ASMIDAR
MOHD JAMIL
FARY_LURVIST 101