Why triglycerides are not polymers

Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. The most abundant membrane lipids are the phospholipids. These have a polar head group and two hydrophobic hydrocarbon tails. In Summary: Lipids Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.

Fats are a stored form of energy and are also known as triacylglycerols or triglycerides. Fats are made up of fatty acids and either glycerol or sphingosine. The hydrophobic nature of lipids stems from the many nonpolar covalent bonds. Water, on the other hand, has polar covalent bonds and mixes well only with other polar or charged compounds. Phospholipids are specialized lipids that are partially soluble in water.

Figure 1 depicts the structure of a triglyceride. Because all three substituents on the glycerol backbone are long hydrocarbon chains, these compounds are nonpolar and not significantly attracted to polar water molecules—they are hydrophobic. A common fat molecule or triglyceride. These types of molecules are generally hydrophobic and, while they have numerous functions, are probably best known for their roles in body fat and plant oils.

Triacylglycerols lack a polar headgroup, so they cannot orient themselves to form a bilayer To form a bilayer, the non-polar acyl chains of triglycerides would have to be buried in the interior, and the glycerol moiety would have to be at the surface in contact with the water.

Liz Veloz is a writer, scientist and college teacher living in Madison, Wis. Her science, travel and adventure writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and other publications.

Veloz holds a doctorate in the biological sciences and a Master of Arts in English from the University of California, Davis. How to Calculate Moles from Molecular Weight. What Are the Functions of Triglyceride Phospholipid How to Calculate the Degree of Polymerization.

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