Skip to main content
Back

Triacylglycerols definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Triacylglycerol
    A molecule with a glycerol backbone and three fatty acids joined by ester linkages, serving as a major energy storage form.
  • Glycerol
    A three-carbon alcohol forming the backbone to which fatty acids attach in certain lipid molecules.
  • Fatty Acid
    A long hydrocarbon chain with a carboxyl group, varying in length and saturation, attached to glycerol in lipids.
  • Ester Linkage
    A covalent bond formed between a hydroxyl group and a carboxyl group, connecting fatty acids to glycerol.
  • Chiral Center
    A carbon atom bonded to four different groups, creating non-superimposable mirror images in molecules.
  • Adipose Tissue
    A specialized connective tissue in animals where energy is stored as fat.
  • Phosphoglyceride
    A lipid similar to triacylglycerol but with two fatty acids and a phosphate group linked to an amino alcohol.
  • Saturated Fatty Acid
    A hydrocarbon chain with only single bonds, allowing tight packing and resulting in higher melting points.
  • Unsaturated Fatty Acid
    A hydrocarbon chain containing one or more double bonds, causing kinks and looser molecular packing.
  • Intermolecular Forces
    Attractive interactions between molecules, influencing melting points and physical states of substances.
  • Melting Point
    The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid, affected by molecular structure and interactions.
  • Pi Bond
    A type of covalent bond formed by sideways overlap of p orbitals, present in unsaturated fatty acids.
  • Fats
    Mixtures of triacylglycerols from animals, typically solid at room temperature due to saturated fatty acids.
  • Oils
    Mixtures of triacylglycerols from plants, usually liquid at room temperature due to unsaturated fatty acids.
  • Glycerolipid
    A lipid class featuring fatty acid chains attached to a glycerol backbone, including triacylglycerols and phosphoglycerides.