Experiment # 4

Lipids
“Fats and Oils”
Experiment # 4
Lipids
“Fats and Oils”
 Lipids are groups of organic compounds that serve as food for
the body. Sometimes, fats and oils are used to describe lipid
compounds. Fats are solid at room temperature and oils are liquid at
room temperature.
A. MISCIBILITY
Solvent Miscibility of Cottonseed oil
Cold Ethanol Immiscible
Hot Ethanol Slightly Miscible
Ether Miscible
Water Immiscible
CCl4 Miscible
Dil. HCl Immiscible
Dil. NaOH Slightly Miscible

~ The miscibility of cottonseed oil to ether and CCl4 is due to Van der
waals forces (IMF for non-polar substances). Hot ethanol will
temporarily dissolve the oil due to the increase in kinetic energy while
it’s miscibility in dil. NaOH is due to saponification effect. Polar
substances like water and dil. HCl will not mix with the oil due to
inability to establish H-bonding.
b. Spotting effect

~ only cottonseed or coconut oil will leave a spot since it is a non-volatile

substance (doesn’t vaporize easily)
C. Reaction of butter with litmus paper

Litmus paper Fresh Butter Rancid Butter

Blue litmus Remains blue Turns to red
Red litmus Remains red Remains red
PROPERTY Neutral Acidic

~ the acidity of the rancid butter is due to volatile fatty acids.

d. emulsification

Soap + Hot water + Oil Hot water + Oil

Permanent emulsion Temporary emulsion

~ an emulsifying agent is one that lowers the surface tension of the liquid to
render it more soluble than the original form. examples include soap and egg yolk.
E. Acrolein formation

~ it is a general test for glycerol in lipids giving irritating/acrid odor.

f. Test for unsaturation

~ the presence of unsaturated fatty acids (with double bond) will decolorize red
bromine water to colorless.
g. Salkowski test for cholesterol

Cherry-red color

~ cholesterol serves to maintain membrane fluidity of cells.