SME
Biochemistry · Problem type
Saturated or unsaturated fatty acid
Use this for “Linoleic acid is 18:2. Is it saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated?”
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How many C=C double bonds does each fatty acid have?
Tap a card, then tap its group.
Read the number after the colon: none is saturated, one is monounsaturated, two or more is polyunsaturated.
Assumptions
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In the shorthand C:D, C counts the chain’s carbons and D its C=C double bonds; 18:1 has 18 carbons and one double bond.
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Only the number of double bonds decides the group, not the chain’s length.
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Natural double bonds are nearly all cis, so each one puts a bend in the chain, and the chains pack less tightly.
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