Describe some similarities and differences in the structures of a saturated fatty acid and an unsaturated fatty acid.

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Welcome back everyone. Which of the following statements describes the structural differences between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. And we're given four statements, let's analyze each of them. A states saturated fatty acids have no double bonds and are composed of straight chains. While unsaturated fatty acids have two or more double bonds and king chains. This statement is actually partially correct. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds. This is correct because saturation means only single carbon carbon bonds, right? So no double bonds and are composed of stray chains, which is also correct because we have side chains composed of sp three hybridized carbons while unsaturated fatty acids have two or more double bonds. And this is the mistake, right? So essentially, we must have at least one double bond and therefore statement A is incorrect. King chains. While essential, we have to equal cis trans isomerism. King chains are applicable to double bonds. Now, option B weeds, saturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds and are composed of straight chains. While unsaturated fatty acids have no double bonds and are composed of ben chains. And this is incorrect, simply looking at the fact that it says saturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds, right? Saturated fatty acids, as we discussed, they do not have any double bonds. And also it says that unsaturated fatty acids have no double bonds, which is a mistake, right? They must have at least one double bond. Now, statement c saturated fatty acids have no double bonds and are composed of straight chains. That's correct. While unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds and band chains, which is the correct option, right? Essentially, we already know that saturation involves no double bonds. Unsaturated needs at least one double bond and saturation can result in bend chains if we have cis trans isomerism. So those chains will not necessarily be straight chains, right? Therefore, C is correct. And now let's look at d saturated fatty acids have only one double bond, which is incorrect, right? Saturated fatty acids will not have any double bonds. And the statement reads and are composed of branched chains. While unsaturated fatty acids have more than two double bonds and be chains. So we don't have any requirement for unsaturated fatty acids to have at least we double bonds, right? If we have at least one double bond, we already consider it an unsaturated fatty acid, meaning option D is incorrect. So we can exclude A B and D and conclude that statement C is the correct one. Let's label it as our final answer. And thank you for watching

Describe some similarities and differences in the structures of a saturated fatty acid and an unsaturated fatty acid.

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Key Concepts

Fatty Acid Structure

Saturation

Physical Properties