What is the basic structure of a triglyceride?

What is the basic structure of a triglyceride?

• A. One glycerol and three fatty acids
• B. Two glycerol molecules with two fatty acids
• C. One glycerol and two fatty acids
• D. Three glycerol molecules and one fatty acid

Answer: (A)

The basic structure of a triglyceride is a glycerol backbone with three fatty acid chains attached. Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups, and each one forms an ester bond with the carboxyl end of a fatty acid through a dehydration synthesis reaction. That gives you three fatty acids linked to a single glycerol molecule, which is why the molecule is called a triglyceride (tri- meaning three). If you only attach two fatty acids, you’d have a diglyceride; with one, a monoglyceride. This three-fatty-acid arrangement is what makes triglycerides the main form of dietary fat and a primary storage form in the body.

The basic structure of a triglyceride is a glycerol backbone with three fatty acid chains attached. Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups, and each one forms an ester bond with the carboxyl end of a fatty acid through a dehydration synthesis reaction. That gives you three fatty acids linked to a single glycerol molecule, which is why the molecule is called a triglyceride (tri- meaning three). If you only attach two fatty acids, you’d have a diglyceride; with one, a monoglyceride. This three-fatty-acid arrangement is what makes triglycerides the main form of dietary fat and a primary storage form in the body.