The Biochemistry of Movement > 9.7.3. Fats are also important fuels for cells > Fatty Acids Include Alkanoic Acids >
Identify that fatty acids include alkanoic acids with the general formula: CH3(CH2)nCOOH
- Fatty acids are a type of lipid. They are long chains of hydrocarbons that range from 14-20 carbons in length and have a carboxylic acid attached to the end of the molecule.
- There are two types of fatty acids: saturated (no double bonds) and unsaturated (one or more double bonds). Saturated fats have a straight molecular structure, while unsaturated fats have a slight bend in their molecular structure.