Questions: How many carbons are found in a fatty acid?
a) 4
b) 12
c) 20
d) it depends, between 4 and 20
Transcript text: How many carbons are found in a fatty acid?
a) 4
b) 12
c) 20
d) it depends, between 4 and 20
Solution
The answer is the fourth one (d): it depends, between 4 and 20.
Explanation:
Option a) 4: This is incorrect because while some fatty acids can have 4 carbons, this is not representative of all fatty acids.
Option b) 12: This is incorrect because while some fatty acids can have 12 carbons, this is not representative of all fatty acids.
Option c) 20: This is incorrect because while some fatty acids can have 20 carbons, this is not representative of all fatty acids.
Option d) it depends, between 4 and 20: This is correct because fatty acids can vary in length, typically ranging from 4 to 20 carbons. Fatty acids can be short-chain (4-6 carbons), medium-chain (6-12 carbons), long-chain (12-20 carbons), or very long-chain (more than 20 carbons).
Summary:
Fatty acids can have a varying number of carbon atoms, typically between 4 and 20, making option d the correct answer.