Types of Lipids

Lipids are hydrophobic molecules that have low solubility in water and high solubility in nonpolar organic solvents. The following choices all describe lipid molecules, with the exception of glycine. Glycine is an amino acid and contains a carboxyl group (like fatty acid lipids), but also a amine group. These function groups make glycine hydrophilic and polar, unlike lipids.

Terpenes are special classes of lipids that are derived from isoprene units. An isoprene unit’s molecular formula is ; therefore, terpenes must contain a molecular formula that is derived from a empirical formula.

The molecular formula consists of seven isoprene units ( = ); therefore, is a type of terpene.

Pentene is an alkene with the molecular formula . () is derived from pentene units; however, terpenes do not have pentene units.