Identifying Lipid Families Use Figure 23.1 to identify the family of lipids to which each of these molecules belongs.

Question

Identifying Lipid Families

Use Figure 23.1 to identify the family of lipids to which each of these molecules belongs.

[latex]\begin{matrix} (b) H O \ H — \overset{\mid}{\underset{1│}{C}} — O — \overset{\mid\mid}{C} — (CH_2)_{14}CH_3 \ H — \underset{2│}{C} — O — \overset{O}{\overset{\mid\mid}{C}} — (CH_2)_{7} CH \xlongequal[]{} CH (CH_2)_{7}CH_3\ H — \underset{3\mid}{C} — O — \overset{O}{\overset{\mid\mid}{C}} — (CH_2)_{16}CH_3 \H \end{matrix}[/latex]

ANALYSIS Inspect the molecules and note their distinguishing characteristics. Molecule (a) has a four-member fused-ring system. Only sterols have this structure. Molecule (b) has three fatty acids esterified to a single backbone molecule—glycerol. Thus, (b) must be a member of the triacylglycerol family.

Accepted Answer

Molecule (a) is a sterol, and molecule (b) is a triacylglycerol.

Question 23.1: Identifying Lipid Families Use Figure 23.1 to identify the f......

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