Question

Which of the following is wax?
(a) Palmitic Acid
(b) Ethyl palmitate
(c) Hexacosyl palmitate
(d) Sodium stearate

Answer 1

Hint: The answer is a major component of a commercial product obtained from honey bees.

Complete answer:
Waxes are esters of long-chain fatty acids and monohydroxy alcohols. They are highly insoluble. The melting point of wax is higher than neutral fat. Hexacosyl palmitate is the example of a wax which is an ester derived from an esterification reaction of palmitic acid and cetyl alcohol.

Additional Information:
1) Lipids can be classified into four categories, fatty acids, glycerides, non-glyceride lipids, and complex lipids.
2) Fatty acids can be divided into saturated and unsaturated fatty acids depending on their degree of saturation. Fatty acids are long chains of monocarboxylic acids. Chemical reactions shown by fatty acids include esterification and hydrolysis.
3) Glycerides can be divided into neutral glycerides and phosphoglycerides. Glycerides are lipids that contain glycerol.
4) Non Glycerol lipids or non-glycerides can be of two types: sphingolipids, steroids, and waxes. No glycerol is present in the chemical structure of these compounds.
5) Complex lipids are lipids that are bonded to a different type of molecule. They are of two types, lipoproteins, and glycolipids. The example includes chylomicrons, very low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein.
6) The main functions of lipids include the formation of the plasma membrane, storage of potential energy, and the formation of different types of hormones and vitamins.

So, the correct answer is, ‘ The wax is hexacosyl palmitate'.

Note: Hexacosyl palmitate is formed by esterification of palmitic acid which is a fatty acid and cetyl alcohol, therefore it belongs to the category of non-glycerides or non-glycerol lipids.