Question

How does the structure of fatty acids compare to the basic units found in other macromolecules? Describe one example.

A) Fatty acids have long hydrocarbon chains, while nucleotides have a phosphate group.
B) Fatty acids are made up of amino acids, while carbohydrates are made of sugar molecules.
C) Fatty acids are structurally similar to DNA nucleotides.
D) Fatty acids contain double bonds, unlike proteins.

Answer 1

Fatty acids have long hydrocarbon chains, while nucleotides have a phosphate group.

Step-by-step explanation:

Fatty acids are the basic building blocks of several types of lipids, such as triglycerides and phospholipids, while nucleic acids are made up of nucleotides that consist of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base. Fatty acids have long hydrocarbon chains and can be saturated or unsaturated depending on the presence of double bonds, while nucleotides have a phosphate group and are involved in storing and transmitting genetic information.

An example of how the structure of fatty acids compares to other macromolecules is seen when comparing fatty acids to nucleotides in nucleic acids. Fatty acids have long hydrocarbon chains, which make them hydrophobic, while nucleotides have a phosphate group, which contributes to their negative charge and is important for their function in DNA and RNA.