Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

32. Lipids

Fatty Acids

Organic Chemistry

32. Lipids

Fatty Acids

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following fatty acids is most likely to be a liquid at room temperature?

Lauric acid

Palmitic acid

Stearic acid

Oleic acid

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Verified step by step guidance

Understand the properties of fatty acids: Fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms, while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds.

Identify the structure of each fatty acid: Lauric acid, Palmitic acid, and Stearic acid are all saturated fatty acids, meaning they have no double bonds and are typically solid at room temperature.

Consider the structure of Oleic acid: Oleic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid with one double bond (monounsaturated). This double bond introduces a kink in the hydrocarbon chain, preventing tight packing of the molecules.

Relate the structure to physical state: The presence of a double bond in Oleic acid reduces the van der Waals forces between the molecules, making it more likely to be a liquid at room temperature compared to the saturated fatty acids.

Conclude based on the analysis: Since Oleic acid is unsaturated and has a double bond, it is more likely to be a liquid at room temperature compared to the saturated fatty acids listed (Lauric, Palmitic, and Stearic acids).