Final answer:
Fatty acid chains found in foods and body tissues range from 4 to 24 carbon atoms in length. It is also important to note that fatty acids can be classified as saturated or unsaturated, based on the presence of double bonds along the hydrocarbon chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fatty acid chains found in foods and body tissues range from 4 to 24 carbon atoms in length.
Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with an alkyl chain that is usually unbranched and containing an even number of C's, typically between 8 to 20 C's.1 They can be classified as saturated fatty acids, which contain no carbon-to-carbon double bonds, or unsaturated fatty acids, which contain one or more double bonds along the length of the hydrocarbon chain.4 The melting point of a fatty acid is influenced by its chain length and degree of saturation, with shorter chain lengths resulting in lower melting points.2