Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids
Introduction
Human beings require different types of food to obtain energy for survival, in the food that we eat the body then brakes down fats into the fatty acids. According to Kumar & Ali (2015), a fatty acid is the building blocks of fats into our body which can either be saturated or unsaturated. Fats that are closely crammed with a single chain of carbon is known as saturated fatty acids. In contrast, unsaturated fatty acids are loosely packed, mostly containing one or more carbon bonds (Kumar & Ali, 2014). Saturated fatty acid being firmly packed together is solid at room temperature; also, the carbon atoms in the fatty acid lie straight. The molecules are well prescribed into a solid-state on the hand unsaturated fatty acids are liquid since the carbons bonds are lightly attached also the molecular structure between the bonds are far apart each other making them liquid at room temperature.
According to Bandoim (2020), saturated fatty acid have a long chain of hydrocarbons which lie straight forming a well-arranged structure. The even shaped attained by the carbon bonds contains a high density of intermolecular forces that requires a higher melting point to subvert. The regular shape is packed closely together, making the saturated fatty acid to remain as solid at room temperature. In contrast, unsaturated fatty acid contains hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds with asymmetrical shape (Bandoim 2020). Such irregular shape packages loosely and the intermolecular forces between the bonds are weak that is ignited by a low melting point to be broken; hence they remain liquid at room temperature. For instance, the unsaturated fatty acid obtained from vegetable oils cannot clank together, making them liquid at room temperature (Kumar & Ali, 2014).
Additionally, saturated fats are solid at room temperature due to fatty acid plus glycerol sequence found in them which forms of a lone bond structure (Folayan., 2019) the shape formed is closed to each other allowing them to form a clear solid. In the animal, the carbon atoms all lie on a straight line, and the molecules are precisely organized, building a shape that remains solid at room temperature (Keane & Newsholme, 2008). While unsaturated fatty acids contain carbon double bonds that are mostly in pairs forming an unclear shape that is spread throughout forming liquid, for instance in plants there is a twist within the fatty acids due to the missing hydrogen atoms this lowers the forces of attractions between the molecules of the fatty acid hence it spread, so the substance halts at liquid at room temperature.
Unsaturated fatty acids consist of one or more double bonds between the carbon and hydrogen structure of the fats (Kumar & Ali, 2014), with the existence of two different chains in the fats; therefore, the hydrogen atom is unable to saturate all the carbons hence the whole structure becomes shabby and remains a liquid at room temperature, for instance, oils consist of chains that are not saturated, this stops the molecular structure from becoming steady hence remains a liquid. On the contrary saturated fats doesn’t have these bonds that can cause their structures to behave weary. However, they contain a steady structure that forms shape when placed in a container hence remains solid at room temperature.
In conclusion, saturated fatty acids remain solid at room temperate since the long-chain within its molecular structure is steadily forming a bond structure that is steady containing hydrogen bonds that require more energy to break while unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds that are weak forming unclear shape also the irregular shape in unsaturated fats packages loosely hence remains a liquid at room temperature.
Reference
Bandoim, Lana. (2020, August 28). Why is Unsaturated Fats Liquid At Room Temperature? sciencing.com.https://sciencing.com/why-are-unsaturated-fats-liquid-at-room-temperature-13710550.html
Folayan, A. J., Anawe, P. A. L., Aladejare, A. E., & Ayeni, A. O. (2019). Experimental investigation of the effect of fatty acids configuration, chain length, branching and degree of unsaturation on biodiesel fuel properties obtained from lauric oils, high-oleic and high-linoleic vegetable oil biomass. Energy Reports, 5, 793-806.
Keane, D., & Newsholme, P. (2008). Saturated and unsaturated (including arachidonic acid) non-esterified fatty acid modulation of insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Biochemical Society Transactions, 36(5), 955-958. https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0360955
Kumar, D., & Ali, A. (2014). saturated and unsaturated fatty acid.
Kumar, D., & Ali, A. (2015). Direct synthesis of fatty acid alkanolamides and fatty acid alkyl esters from high free fatty acid containing triglycerides as lubricity improvers using heterogeneous catalyst. Fuel, 159, 845-853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2015.07.046