Which of the following statements correctly describe(s) the relationship between the structure of a fatty acid and its melting point?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A) Saturated fatty acids have the highest melting points because their linear structure allows for closer molecular packing, which creates stronger intermolecular forces. As the molecular weight of the fatty acid increases, the melting point also tends to increase due to the same reason.
B) The presence of a trans double bond creates a linear structure similar to that of saturated fatty acids, leading to higher melting points than cis isomers. However, the difference in melting point is relatively small, and the effect is not as significant as that of the number of double bonds in the fatty acid.
C) Unsaturated fatty acids with double bonds have a kinked structure that prevents close molecular packing, resulting in weaker intermolecular forces and lower melting points. As the number of double bonds increases, the kinks become more pronounced, leading to a further decrease in melting point.
Therefore, choices A and C are correct, and choice B is partially correct but less significant than the effect of the number of double bonds.

Which of the Following Statements Correctly Describe(s) the Relationship Between