Chapter 20, Problem 16P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The reason as to why the melting points of the saturated fatty acids increase on moving from lauric acid to stearic acid is to be stated.

Concept Introduction:

Fatty acids contain carboxylic group at the end of a long hydrocarbon chain. On the basis of the presence of double bonds, there are two types of fatty acids, saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid. The double bonds between carbon atoms are absent in saturated fatty acids, whereas unsaturated fatty acids possess at least one double bond between carbon atoms.