Number of oxygen atoms in lipid molecules is always ….. As compared to number of carbon atoms

Options

A. Less
B. More
C. Equal
D. Double.

Answer

To solve the question regarding the number of oxygen atoms in lipid molecules compared to the number of carbon atoms, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of Lipids
Lipids are organic compounds that include fats and oils. They are primarily composed of fatty acids and glycerol.

**Hint:** Remember that lipids are not just fats; they also include oils and other compounds.

### Step 2: Identify the Components of Lipids
The main components of lipids, specifically triglycerides, are fatty acids. A typical fatty acid has a general formula of CH3(CH2)nCOOH, where 'n' represents the number of carbon atoms in the chain.

**Hint:** Focus on the general formula of fatty acids to understand how many carbon and oxygen atoms are present.

### Step 3: Analyze the General Formula
In the general formula of a fatty acid:
- There are 3 carbon atoms in the CH3 group and 2 carbon atoms in the CH2 groups (for n=1, for example). This gives a total of 3 carbon atoms.
- There are 2 oxygen atoms present in the carboxylic acid group (COOH).

**Hint:** Count the atoms carefully in the formula to see the relationship between carbon and oxygen.

### Step 4: Compare the Number of Atoms
From the analysis, we can see that for every 3 carbon atoms, there are 2 oxygen atoms. This indicates that the number of oxygen atoms is less than the number of carbon atoms.

**Hint:** Look for patterns in the ratios of carbon to oxygen in the fatty acid structure.

### Step 5: Conclude the Comparison
Thus, the conclusion is that the number of oxygen atoms in lipid molecules is always less than the number of carbon atoms.

**Hint:** Remember that this relationship holds true for all lipid molecules, not just triglycerides.

### Final Answer
The number of oxygen atoms in lipid molecules is always **less** as compared to the number of carbon atoms.