Final answer:
Fatty acids are the basic structural building blocks of fats. They can be saturated or unsaturated, depending on the presence of double bonds between carbon atoms. In a fat molecule, glycerol is bonded to three fatty acid molecules through ester bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fatty acids are the basic structural building blocks of fats. They consist of a long chain of carbon atoms linked to hydrogen atoms, with a carboxyl group (-COOH) on one end. The number of carbon atoms in a fatty acid chain can range from 4 to 36, with the most common ones containing 12-18 carbon atoms.
Fatty acids can be either saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fatty acids have single bonds between neighboring carbon atoms and are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Examples of saturated fatty acids include stearic acid. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds between carbon atoms. Monounsaturated fatty acids have one double bond, while polyunsaturated fatty acids have two or more double bonds.
In a fat molecule, such as a triglyceride, glycerol is bonded to three fatty acid molecules through ester bonds. This forms a large molecule that is a major component of dietary fats and oils.