Textbook Question
Considering that water is a main component of the juices in the stomach and intestines, explain why digestion of lipids is more complicated than digestion of carbohydrates and proteins.
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Ch. 2 The Chemistry of Life
Amerman2nd EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136873822
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology26
- Ch. 2 The Chemistry of Life38
- Ch. 3 The Cell55
- Ch. 4 Histology47
- Ch. 5 The Integumentary System30
- Ch. 6 Bones and Bone Tissue36
- Ch. 7 The Skeletal System40
- Ch. 8 Articulations19
- Ch. 9 The Muscular System36
- Ch. 10 Muscle Tissue and Physiology29
- Ch. 11 Introduction to the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue28
- Ch. 12 The Central Nervous System42
- Ch. 13 The Peripheral Nervous System41
- Ch. 14 The Autonomic Nervous System and Homeostasis31
- Ch. 15 The Special Senses39
- Ch. 16 The Endocrine System42
- Ch. 17 The Cardiovascular System I: The Heart30
- Ch. 18 The Cardiovascular System II: The Blood Vessels43
- Ch. 19 Blood32
- Ch. 20 The Lymphatic System and Immunity45
- Ch. 21 The Respiratory System27
- Ch. 22 The Digestive System27
- Ch. 23 Metabolism and Nutrition7
- Ch. 24 The Urinary System39
- Ch. 25 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Homeostasis39
- Ch. 26 The Reproductive System10
- Ch. 27 Development and Heredity5
Chapter 2, Problem L2.3
Explain why monosaccharides are polar and fatty acids are nonpolar even though they both contain the same atoms.
Verified step by step guidance1
Monosaccharides are polar because they contain multiple hydroxyl (-OH) groups, which are highly electronegative. These groups create regions of partial negative and positive charges, allowing monosaccharides to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, making them hydrophilic (water-soluble).
Fatty acids, on the other hand, have a long hydrocarbon chain that is composed of nonpolar covalent bonds between carbon and hydrogen atoms. These bonds do not create significant charge separation, making the hydrocarbon chain hydrophobic (water-insoluble).
Although both monosaccharides and fatty acids contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, the arrangement and type of bonds differ. Monosaccharides have a higher proportion of polar functional groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups), while fatty acids have a dominant nonpolar hydrocarbon chain.
The carboxyl group (-COOH) at one end of a fatty acid is polar, but its effect is overshadowed by the long nonpolar hydrocarbon chain, making the overall molecule nonpolar.
In summary, the polarity of a molecule depends on the distribution of polar and nonpolar bonds. Monosaccharides are polar due to their hydroxyl groups, while fatty acids are nonpolar because of their extensive hydrocarbon chains.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Polarity
Polarity refers to the distribution of electrical charge around atoms, molecules, or chemical groups. A molecule is considered polar if it has a significant difference in electronegativity between its atoms, leading to a partial positive charge on one end and a partial negative charge on the other. This uneven distribution allows polar molecules, like monosaccharides, to interact with water and other polar substances, making them soluble.
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Guided course
04:15
Characteristic 1: Polarity
Hydrophilicity vs. Hydrophobicity
Hydrophilicity describes the tendency of a substance to interact favorably with water, while hydrophobicity refers to the tendency to repel water. Monosaccharides, being polar, are hydrophilic and readily dissolve in water. In contrast, fatty acids, despite containing similar atoms, have long hydrocarbon chains that are nonpolar, making them hydrophobic and less soluble in water.
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03:43Hydrophilic vs. Hydrophobic
Molecular Structure and Functional Groups
The molecular structure and the presence of functional groups significantly influence a molecule's polarity. Monosaccharides contain hydroxyl (-OH) groups that enhance their polarity, while fatty acids have long hydrocarbon tails with a carboxyl (-COOH) group at one end. The hydrocarbon tail is nonpolar, overshadowing the polar nature of the carboxyl group, resulting in an overall nonpolar character for fatty acids.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Mark the following statements as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.
Every element has a characteristic number of protons, which is called the element's mass number.
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Textbook Question
Mark the following statements as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.
Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom.
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Textbook Question
Isotopes are atoms with the same ______ number but different ______ numbers.
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Textbook Question
In certain types of radioactive decay, the isotope releases a particle called an alpha particle, which contains two protons and two neutrons. When this happens, is the product still the same element? Why or why not?
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