What is a fatty acid?

A fatty acid is a carboxylic structure which makes up the structure of oils, fats, and all lipids (excluding steroids). Fatty acids typically consist of 12-20 carbon atoms which can be in a straight line or be unbranched. Fatty acids are categorized by the number of carbon-carbon double bonds they possess (or do not possess), or based on the quantity of carbon atoms which exist in the alkyl chain. For example, fatty acids which do not have any carbon-carbon bonds are known as saturated fatty acids, and fatty acids which have one carbon-carbon double bond are known as unsaturated fatty acids. A fatty acid with double bonds will affect its melting point, as unsaturated fatty acids have lower melting points compared to saturated fatty acids. Additionally, an odd quantity of carbon molecules is correlated with a higher melting point. On a side note, over 300 fatty acids have been identified by researchers.