Final answer:
Hydrogenation is the chemical process where unsaturated fats are converted to saturated fats by adding hydrogen, often using catalysts like nickel, platinum, or palladium.
Step-by-step explanation:
The name of the process that adds hydrogens to an unsaturated fat is called hydrogenation. This reaction involves the addition of molecular hydrogen (H₂) to the carbon-carbon double bonds found in unsaturated fatty acids, converting them into saturated fatty acids. This is often accomplished using metal catalysts like nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), or palladium (Pd).
In complete hydrogenation, all of the double bonds are saturated, whereas in partial hydrogenation, only some of the double bonds are saturated. This process not only increases the melting point of the fat, making oils more solid at room temperature (hence its use in making products like margarine and shortening), but can also create trans fatty acids. These are a form of unsaturated fatty acids that have been altered from their natural cis configuration to a trans configuration, giving them properties similar to saturated fatty acids.