What characterizes saturated fatty acids?

Saturated fatty acids are specifically characterized by the presence of only single bonds between the carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains. This means that each carbon atom in the chain is 'saturated' with hydrogen atoms, as there are no double bonds present to reduce the number of hydrogen atoms attached.

This structure has implications for the physical properties of saturated fatty acids, such as their solidity at room temperature, which contrasts with unsaturated fatty acids that contain double bonds and are often liquid. The lack of double bonds allows saturated fatty acids to pack closely together, contributing to their higher melting points compared to unsaturated fatty acids.

In contrast, the presence of double bonds would indicate that the fatty acid is unsaturated, not saturated. Saturated fatty acids are also not particularly soluble in water, as they are hydrophobic due to their long hydrocarbon chains. Additionally, while many fatty acids can have functional groups, the defining characteristic of saturated fatty acids specifically relates to the bonding structure of the carbon chain, not the diversity of functional groups present.