Fats Are Also Important Fuels For Cells

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Fats are also important fuels for cells

Students learn to:

• identify that fatty acids include alkanoic acids with the general formula:CH₃(CH₂)_nCOOH
• identify that part of the fatty acid molecule which should mix with water and explain this phenomenon
• identify the most common fatty acids in our diet and in our body stores as the C14-C20 series from diagrams or models
• describe glycerol as a triol and identify its systematic name
• explain that fatty acids are stored as esters of glycerol [triacylglycerols (TAGs)] and account for the hydrophobic nature of these esters
• assess the importance of TAGs as an energy dense store for humans

Students:

• solve problems, identify resources and perform first-hand investigations to compare the structures of fatty acids and glycerol from diagrams or models
• use available evidence and process information from secondary sources to analyse the structure of the glycerol molecule and predict its viscosity and solubility in water, giving reasons for their predictions

Extract from Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (Amended October 2002). © 2009, Board of Studies NSW.