Lab – Modelling Lipids

In this investigation, you will build and observe three-dimensional models of simple lipids.

Equipment and Materials:

 Chemical modeling kit

Procedure:
1. In pairs, use the chemical modelling kit to construct a model of a glycerol and three short
fatty acids: a four-carbon saturated fatty acid, a four-carbon unsaturated fatty acid, and a
five-carbon saturated fatty acid.
2. Perform three dehydration synthesis reactions to produce a triglyceride.
3. Perform hydrolysis reactions to reform the individual components.

Analyze and Evaluate:

(a) Which functional groups are involved in the dehydration synthesis reactions in Step 2?
Hydroxyl groups
(b) What are the waste products in the dehydration synthesis reactions? Water molecules.
(c) What is the overall chemical formula of the triglyceride? CnH2n-1O6
(d) What is the C:H:O ratio in the triglyceride you synthesized? C6H8O6
(e) How does the C:H:O ratio in triglycerides compare with the overall C:H:O ratio in
carbohydrates? The ratio is 1:2:1 in carbohydrates and the ratio is 6:8:6 in triglycerides
(f) Which element is less abundant in fats? oxygen
(g) Compare the polarity of the molecules before and after the formation of the triglyceride.
Before formation, the glycerol and fatty acid are polar molecules and after the formation
the molecules are non-polar. Due to the polar groups (-OH on glycerol and -COOH on
fatty acids) are used up in the formation of ester linkages, leaving behind the largely
nonpolar hydrocarbon chains of the fatty acids.