Final answer:
Free fatty acids are neutralized by covalent linkage to coenzyme A (CoA), forming fatty acyl-CoA, to prevent disruption of biological membranes and allow for energy storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Free fatty acids inside cells are chemically neutralized by covalent linkage to coenzyme A (CoA) for energy storage, forming fatty acyl-CoA. This prevents the fatty acids from disrupting biological membranes like soap would. The correct answer is therefore not biotin, glucose, glycerol, or ubiquitin, but is related to the conversion of fatty acids for energy storage and utilization.
In the context of energy storage, triglycerides, which are made from the bonding of glycerol and three fatty acids, serve as a form of long-term energy storage in animals. Fatty acids undergo a process called beta-oxidation, whereby they are broken down into two-carbon units of acetyl groups, which can then be taken up by CoA to form acetyl CoA, entering the citric acid cycle.