Final answer:
Trans fatty acids have a linear structure because hydrogen atoms are on opposite sides of the double bonds, causing them to pack tightly and be associated with health risks like increased cardiovascular disease. The correct choice is that trans fatty acids have fewer bends in their backbones.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unlike cis fatty acids, trans fatty acids have a different structure that impacts health and how they're processed in foods. In particular, trans fatty acids have hydrogen atoms bonded on opposite sides of the carbon chain, resulting in a more linear and less bent structure. This structural difference means trans fatty acids can pack more closely together, often making them solid at room temperature and contributing to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Trans fatty acids are largely created through industrial processes like hydrogenation, which partially saturate unsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oils and can convert some cis double bonds to trans double bonds, producing partially hydrogenated fats used in some processed foods.
The correct answer to the question is that trans fatty acids have fewer bends in their backbones, option b, due to the trans arrangement of hydrogen atoms across the double bonds in their carbon chain. This linear configuration contrasts with the bent shape of cis fatty acids, where hydrogen atoms are on the same side of the double bonds.