Olive oil melts at a lower temperature than beef fat because

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fats contain more saturated fatty acids than oils do, which makes their melting point higher. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms, which allows them to pack closely together, resulting in a solid state at room temperature. In contrast, oils contain more unsaturated fatty acids, which have one or more double bonds that create kinks, preventing tight packing and thus remaining liquid at lower temperatures.

Olive Oil Melts at a Lower Temperature Than Beef Fat