Question

Which of the following four fatty acids has the lowest melting point? 1. сњењењењенгсоон г. сњењењењењењењењењеоон 3. CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2COOH CH3CH-CHCH2CH2COOH a. 1 b. 2

Answer 1

Answer: Option (1) is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Melting point is defined as the point at which a solid state of a substance starts to melt and it converts into liquid state.

Also, it is known that more is the number of linear carbon atoms attached to each other, more is the melting point of a substance. Whereas more is the branching present in a compound least will be its melting point.

For example, $CH_{3}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}COOH$ has only 5 carbon atoms attached to carboxylic acid group. Whereas $CH_{3}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}COOH$ has 9 carbon atoms attached to carboxylic acid group.

Therefore, compound $CH_{3}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}COOH$ will have low melting point.

Thus, we can conclude that out of the given options, fatty acid $CH_{3}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}CH_{2}COOH$ has the lowest melting point.