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GCSE Biology · key term
A molecule formed from glycerol and fatty acids; fats and oils are lipids.
Used by AQA and OCR
Specification 4.4.2.3 · Paper 1
Revise: MetabolismLipids, such as fats and oils, are built from glycerol and fatty acids. A lipid molecule can be formed from one glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules. Lipids can be used for storage, while breakdown of lipids supplies fatty acids and glycerol that can be used again.
Specification B1.3f · Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher)
A varied group of biological substances that includes fats and oils and is generally insoluble in water.
Revise: Role of lipidsLipids are a group of biological substances that includes fats and oils. This lesson uses a triglyceride, a common storage lipid, to show why glycerol and fatty acids matter.
For lipid synthesis, specify one glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules.
For breakdown, state that water is added and the lipid separates into glycerol and fatty acids. Do not describe this merely as physically splitting the molecule.
Do not say that hydrolysis itself releases the lipid's stored energy. It makes fatty acids and glycerol available; energy is released when molecules are subsequently respired.
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