Question

What causes unsaturated fatty acids to have a different shape than saturated fatty acids?

Answer 1

Hint : Unsaturated fatty acids are synthesized by a dehydrogenation reaction called desaturation. Saturated fatty acids are more stable than unsaturated fatty acids

Complete Step By Step Answer:
In an unsaturated fatty acid there are more than one double bond present in between the carbon atoms. Presence of these double bonds restricts any other atom to surround the carbon atom. This causes change in the bond angle of the other carbons connected to it. They have a bond angle of ${120^ \circ }$. While for a saturated fatty acid the carbons have the same bond angle throughout the compound. They form a bond angle of$150.90$. As observed the bond angle for both saturated and unsaturated fatty acid have a huge difference between them and hence unsaturated fatty acid has a different shape form saturated fatty acid.

Note :
Unsaturated fatty acids are more vulnerable to rancidity. Rancidity is the process in which oxidation of fats occurs due to oxidation, hydration, etc. the saturation of a fatty acid depends upon the number of hydrogen present in the chain. More the number of hydrogen present more is the level of saturation.