Fatty acid
Common name Chemical structure C : D
Caprylic acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 6 COOH 8:0
Capric acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 8 COOH 10:0
Lauric acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 10 COOH 12:0
Stearic acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 16 COOH 18:0
Arachidic acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 18 COOH 20:0
Behenic acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 20 COOH 22:0
Lignoceric acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 22 COOH 24:0
Cerotic acid CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 24 COOH 26:0
Types of fatty acids -- Saturated fatty acids
Main article : Saturated fat For a more comprehensive list , see List of saturated fatty acids . Saturated fatty acids have no C=C double bonds . They have the same formula CH3 ( CH2 ) nCOOH , with variations in `` n '' . An important saturated fatty acid is stearic acid ( n = 16 ) , which when neutralized with lye is the most common form of soap . Arachidic acid , a saturated fatty acid .
In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually not found in organisms, but instead as three main classes of esters: triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesteryl esters. In any of these forms, fatty acids are both important dietary sources of fuel for animals and they are important structural components for cells.