Hydrophobic molecules including fats, oils, waxes and steroids used for energy storage, insulation and membranes.
Lipids are mostly nonpolar and include triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids, waxes and some vitamins. Fats give about 38 kJ per gram, roughly double the energy of carbohydrate, store little water and insulate. They are the structural basis of membranes and hormones.
Waxes waterproof leaves and skin.
Hydrophobic molecules including fats, oils, waxes and steroids used for energy storage, insulation and membranes.
Lipids is one of the 51 topics in Biomolecules & Biochemistry. It is rated Beginner, so it suits learners who are starting out in biology. Related topics in this area include Phospholipids, Triglycerides, Water Properties.
Fat is a compact, light energy store, which is crucial for animals that must move or migrate.
Lipids is a Beginner topic, so no earlier topic is required. Other Beginner topics in Biomolecules & Biochemistry that pair well with it include Water Properties, Carbon Chemistry, Carbohydrates.
The closest topics to Lipids are Phospholipids, Triglycerides, Water Properties, Polysaccharides. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Lipids. To practise the whole of Biomolecules & Biochemistry, use the Biomolecules & Biochemistry quiz.
Lipids: Hydrophobic molecules including fats, oils, waxes and steroids used for energy storage, insulation and membranes. Phospholipids: Lipids with a hydrophilic phosphate head and two hydrophobic tails that self-assemble into membranes. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Phospholipids and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Biomolecules & Biochemistry quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Lipids with a hydrophilic phosphate head and two hydrophobic tails that self-assemble into membranes.
⚗️ Biomolecules & BiochemistryFats formed from glycerol joined to three fatty acids, the main long-term energy store in animals.
⚗️ Biomolecules & BiochemistryA polar molecule that forms hydrogen bonds, giving cohesion, high specific heat and excellent solvent ability essential for life.
⚗️ Biomolecules & BiochemistryLong chains of sugar units, including starch, glycogen, cellulose and chitin, used for storage and structure.
⚗️ Biomolecules & Biochemistry