Biology / Unit 1 Bio 0199 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Fatty Acids: Saturated and Unsaturated
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The idea
A fatty acid is a long hydrocarbon chain, saturated when every carbon-carbon bond is single, unsaturated when it has at least one double bond.
In practice
A saturated fatty acid's chain lies straight; a double bond in an unsaturated one kinks its shape.
Where people slip
Saturated describes how many hydrogens the chain holds at maximum, not a judgment about how the fat is used.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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