Triglycerides have a high energy:mass ratio so are an excellent source of energy that can be stored in a small space.They are large and non-polar so do not affect the water potential and do not cause osmosis in cells.They have a high hydrogen:oxygen ratio so release water when oxidised and are therefore a source of water to animals especially those living in the desert.
Properties of Triglycerides
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Specification: AQA Biology (7401), AS-level, 3.1.3 Lipids. Topic: Biological Molecules.
Key terms in this lesson
- triglyceride
- A lipid made of one glycerol molecule joined to three fatty acids by ester bonds.
- osmosis
- The net movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential through a selectively permeable membrane.
- water potential
- The pressure created by water molecules, a measure of the tendency of water to move out of a solution; pure water has a water potential of zero and solutes make it more negative.
More in Biological Molecules
- Glycogen
- Cellulose
- Roles of Lipids
- Triglycerides
- Phospholipids
- Properties of Phospholipids
- Test for Lipids
- Amino-Acids
All 29 lessons in Biological Molecules · All AQA AS-level Biology topics