Question

What makes up a lipid molecule?

Answer 1

Lipid molecule is constituted of glycerol and fatty acids.

Explanation:

A lipid molecule is formed by one molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acids.

Glycerol is a tri-hydric alcohol with 3 -OH groups. Fatty acids are long chain carbon compounds with a carboxyl (-COOH) group at the end. A fatty acid gets attached to glycerol by the reaction between -OH group of glycerol and -COOH group of fatty acid with removal of water molecule (dehydration). This process is called esterification.

Three molecules get attached to glycerol molecule, one at each of the -OH group. A lipid molecule may thus be called triglyceride.