Answer:
A) adding hydrogens, decreasing the number of double bonds in the molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
The complete Question is:
An oil may be converted into a substance that is solid at room temperature by
A) adding hydrogens, decreasing the number of double bonds in the molecules.
B) removing water, causing a dehydration synthesis reaction to occur.
C) removing hydrogens, increasing the number of double bonds.
D) cooling it, so that double bonds form and the fats solidify.
Hydrogenation is a process that is commonly used in food industry to reduce the vegetable oil to solid or semi-soild state which is suitable for preserving. Oil is an unsaturated fatty acid having Carbon - Carbon double bonds. Hydrogenation i.e. addition of hydrogen in presence of catalysts to these oils reduce these double bonds to single bonds. This reduction of double bonds also change some physical properties of the oil, the most obvious of which is the melting point. The melting point increases and the oil is converted to a substance that is sold at room temperature.
Therefore, the correct answer to this question is given by option A.