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First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Lipids (HL IB Biology)

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Cara Head

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Cara Head

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Lipids: Hydrophobic Properties

  • Examples of lipids in living organisms are
    • Fats
    • Oils
    • Waxes
    • Steroids
  • Lipid macromolecules contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms

Basic lipid structure diagram

Lipid Structure

Lipid molecules are composed of a glycerol molecule and fatty acid hydrocarbon chains

Lipid solubility

  • The structure of lipids affects their solubility
  • Lipids contain hydrocarbon molecules which contain many non-polar covalent bonds
  • The non-polar nature of lipid molecules means that lipids are insoluble in water or other polar solvents
  • In living organisms, lipid solubility can be improved by combining lipid molecules with other molecules, e.g.
    • Glycolipids
    • Lipoproteins

Formation of Triglycerides & Phospholipids

Formation of triglycerides

  • Some lipids are categorised as triglycerides
  • Three fatty acids join to one glycerol molecule to form a triglyceride
    • Fatty acids contain hydrocarbon chains that can be either saturated or unsaturated
      • Saturated fatty acids contain only single carbon-carbon bonds
      • Unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds
  • Triglycerides are formed by a process known as esterification
    • An ester bond forms when the hydroxyl (-OH) group of a glycerol molecule bonds with the carboxyl group (-COOH) of a fatty acid
    • The formation of an ester bond is a condensation reaction
      • For each ester bond formed a water molecule is released
      • Therefore for one triglyceride to form, three water molecules are released

Formation of a triglyceride diagramFormation of a triglyceride 1

Formation of a triglyceride 2

A triglyceride forms from a glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules by the process of esterification

Formation of phospholipids

  • Phospholipids are also formed from glycerol and fatty acids
  • Unlike triglycerides, phospholipids contain only two fatty acids bonded to a glycerol molecule, as the third has been replaced by a phosphate ion (PO43-)
  • As the phosphate is polar, it is soluble in water, or hydrophilic
  • The fatty acid ‘tails’ are non-polar and therefore insoluble in water, or hydrophobic
  • Phospholipids are said to be amphipathic, meaning that they have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions
    • As a result of having hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts, phospholipid molecules can form monolayers or bilayers when placed in water

Structure of a phospholipid diagram

The generalised molecular structure of a phospholipid

Phospholipids are the major components of cell surface membranes. They have fatty acid tails that are hydrophobic and a phosphate head that is hydrophilic, attached to a glycerol molecule.

Properties of Triglycerides

Lipids as an energy store

  • The hydrolysis of triglycerides releases glycerol and fatty acids, which can form useful respiratory substrates
  • Lipids are energy-dense in comparison to carbohydrates due to their high number of C-H bonds
    • They contain 2× more energy per gram than most carbohydrates
  • Lipids are insoluble so are not transported around the body easily and remain in their storage cells
  • When lipids are respired a lot of water is produced compared to the respiration of carbohydrates
    • This is called metabolic water and can be used as a dietary water source when drinking water is unavailable
      • A camel's hump is not filled with water, but is a lipid-rich storage organ that yields metabolic water for the camel in its dry desert habitat
      • A bird's egg also makes use of lipid-rich yolk to provide energy and metabolic water to the growing chick
  • All these features make lipids ideal for long term energy storage

Storage of lipids

  • In animals, lipids are stored in adipose tissue
    • Subcutaneous fats are stored below the skin
    • Visceral fats are stored around the major internal organs
  • Fat is stored in adipose cells, which are specialised to contain large globules of fat
    • Adipose cells shrink when the fat is respired to generate metabolic energy
  • Adipose tissue can be used as a thermal insulator in animals that live in particularly cold environments
    • Seals and walruses are endotherms and have thick adipose tissue called blubber which helps trap heat generated by respiration
  • In many plants, seeds have evolved to store fats to provide energy for a growing seedling plant
    • Olives, sunflowers, nuts, coconuts and oilseed rape are good examples of crops whose oils are harvested for edible oil production by humans

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Cara Head

Author: Cara Head

Expertise: Biology

Cara graduated from the University of Exeter in 2005 with a degree in Biological Sciences. She has fifteen years of experience teaching the Sciences at KS3 to KS5, and Psychology at A-Level. Cara has taught in a range of secondary schools across the South West of England before joining the team at SME. Cara is passionate about Biology and creating resources that bring the subject alive and deepen students' understanding

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