Triglycerides

• What are triglycerides mainly used as?

  Energy storage molecules
• why do triglycerides NOT affect the water potential of the cell?

  they are insoluble
• Give 1 reason why triglycerides are good for being used as an energy storage molecule?

  • the long hydrocarbon tails of the fatty acids contain lots of chemical energy so a lot of energy is released when they are broken down
  • because of these tails, lipids contain approx twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates
• Give another reason why triglycerides are good for being used as energy storage molecules?

  • They are insoluble so do not affect the water potential of the cell and cause water to enter the cells by osmosis (which would make them swell)
  • The triglycerides clump together as INSOLUBLE DROPLETS in cells because the fatty acid tails are hydrophobic - the tails face inwards, shielding themselves from water with their glycerol heads