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Multiple Choice
What happens to the melting point in fatty acids as the hydrocarbon length increases?
a) It increases. b) It decreases. c) It stays the same. d) There is no direct correlation.
A
It increases.
B
It decreases.
C
It stays the same.
D
There is no direct correlation.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that fatty acids are composed of a hydrocarbon chain and a carboxylic acid group. The length of the hydrocarbon chain can vary.
Recognize that the melting point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes from a solid to a liquid. For fatty acids, this is influenced by the structure of the hydrocarbon chain.
Consider the effect of hydrocarbon chain length on melting point: Longer hydrocarbon chains have more van der Waals interactions, which require more energy (higher temperature) to overcome, thus increasing the melting point.
Note that the presence of double bonds (unsaturation) in the hydrocarbon chain can also affect the melting point, but the problem specifically asks about the effect of chain length.
Conclude that as the hydrocarbon chain length increases, the melting point of the fatty acid generally increases due to the increased van der Waals interactions.