Why do saturated fatty acids have higher melting points than cis-unsaturated fatty acids of comparable molecular weight.
A) because saturated fatty acids have stronger repulsive forces between their hydrocarbon chains than unsaturated fatty acids do
B) because saturated fatty acids have stronger hydrogen bonds between their hydrocarbon chains than unsaturated fatty acids do
C) because saturated fatty acids have stronger ionic bonds between their hydrocarbon chains than unsaturated fatty acids do
D) because saturated fatty acids have stronger London dispersion forces between their hydrocarbon chains than unsaturated fatty acids do

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Saturated fatty acids have a linear, rigid structure due to the absence of double bonds, leading to a greater surface area for London dispersion forces to act upon. In contrast, cis-unsaturated fatty acids have a kink in their chain due to the double bond, which reduces the surface area available for London dispersion forces to interact and weaker London dispersion forces. Therefore, saturated fatty acids have higher melting points than cis-unsaturated fatty acids of comparable molecular weight.

Why Do Saturated Fatty Acids Have Higher Melting Points Than