Life Sciences

Grade 10
Topic: The chemistry of life
Sub-topic: Organic compounds: Lipids
Lesson 25

Presenter: Ntombi Dladla

 ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Lipids
Lipids are fats and are an important molecule that sustain life. They are
found in all cell membranes in our bodies, are a source of energy, insulate
our nerve cells and don’t dissolve in water.
Lipids

Lipids are fats and are cells and don’t dissolve in

water.
 LIPIDS
 Lipids include fats and oils.
 They are made up of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
 They can contain other elements such as phosphorus.
 The ratio of hydrogen to oxygen in lipids is greater than 2:1
 The building blocks or monomers of lipids are fatty acids and glycerol.
 LIPIDS
 One glycerol molecule combines with three fatty acids to form
one lipid molecule.
 During this process water is released as shown below.
 LIPIDS-SATURATED FATS
 Some fatty acids cannot take any more hydrogen atoms.
 Such fatty acids are said to be saturated or are called saturated fatty
acids.
 Fats that are formed from such fatty acids are called saturated fats.
 Saturated fats are solid at room temperature.
 Some examples of saturated fats are lard, beeswax, butter and animal
fat.
 LIPIDS-UNSATURATED FATS
 There are unsaturated fatty acids.
 Fats formed from these fatty acids are called unsaturated fats.
 Unsaturated fats are called oils.
 They are liquid at room temperature.
 Examples include olive oil, cod-liver oil.
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SATURATED AND UNSATURATED FATS

Saturated fats Unsaturated

fats
Made from Made from
saturated fatty unsaturated fatty
acids acids
Solid at room Liquid at room
temperature temperature
 SATURATED vs UNSATURATED FATS
Saturated fats don’t have double bonds between atoms and are solids at
room temperature like butter, meat, dairy, etc.
Unsaturated fats have double bonds between atoms and are liquid at
room temperature. Like vegetable oils
Diets high in saturated fat are linked to high blood cholesterol levels and
heart disease.
 FUNCTIONS OF THE LIPIDS
1. They are able to store large amounts of energy.
2. They act as packing tissue between organs. All major organs are
surrounded by a layer of fat like the kidneys. The fat acts as a
shock absorber.
3. They acts as insulation. Fat is found as a layer below the skin, its
function is to reduce heat loss.
4. The cell membranes of all living organisms are made up of a
lipid called phospholipids.
 HEART DISEASE, SATURATED FATS AND CHOLESTEROL
 One of the causes of heart disease is a diet rich in saturated fats and
high in cholesterol.
 Remember that there are many other causes of heart diseases.

some of these causes are:

 The fatty acids are deposited on the inside of the arteries.
 This narrows the diameter of the arteries.
 This slows down the flow of blood.
 If this happens to the coronary artery, then the person suffers from
atherosclerosis.
ATHEROSCLEROSIS
 HEART DISEASES
Other causes of heart disease are:
❖ Heredity, age, gender, smoking, lack of exercise and high
blood pressure.

❖ The coronary artery is a blood vessel that supplies the heart

muscle with food and oxygen.
 TESTING FOR LIPIDS
To test for lipids in a solid piece of food you:
• Use a piece of filter paper.
• Rub some of the food onto a piece of filter paper.

• Hold the paper up to the light.

• If the paper has gone translucent, the food contains lipids.
TESTING FOR LIPIDS
 ACTIVITY 1
Indicate whether each of the statements in COLUMN I applies to A ONLY, B
ONLY, BOTH A AND B or NONE of the items in COLUMN II. Write A only, B
only, both A and B, or none next to the question number.
 ACTIVITY 2
The following information appears on the package of a brand of cereal eaten by a young boy. Study
the table and then answer the questions based on it. 2.1 He is probably very active so fats produce
energy
Fats 12.5g
2.2 Glycerol and fatty acids
Fibre 25g 2.3 Cholesterol may lead to the deposit of fatty
Cholesterol 0mg acids in the artery which might led to heart
attack
2.1 State why the young boy requires fat in his
nutrients.
2.2 Name the building blocks of fat.
2.3. Why is it important that a diet should not
contain high levels of cholesterol?
 ACTIVITY 3
Below is the nutritional information found on the packaging
of a well-known brand of sausages.
3.1 276 kJ

3.2 Fatty acids and 3 glycerol

3.3 They are able to store large amounts

of energy.
They act as packing tissue between
organs.
The fat acts as a shock absorber.
They acts as insulation.
( ANY 2)

3.1 How much energy would you get by eating just one sausage?

3.2 What is the monomer of fats?

3.3 State TWO functions of fats.

 ACTIVITY 3

3.4 (0,4 +0,8 +2,1)

=3,3g
3.5 Healthy
– it has a higher amount of
unsaturated fats.

3.4 Calculate how much fat is contained in three sausages.

Show ALL working.
3.5 Would you consider this product a healthy choice in terms of
fat content? Give ONE reason for your answer.