Question

Which reaction is responsible for the production of lipids when glycerol is joined to three fatty acids?

Answer 1

This reaction is called a condensation reaction. It is also known as  a dehydration reaction.

When three fatty acids become attached to a glycerol molecule, a triglyceride is formed.  The fatty acids become attached to the glycerol through a condensation reaction named so because 3 water molecules are formed from the 3 OH groups from the fatty acid chains and 3 H atoms from the glycerol.

The bond formed between the fatty acid chain and the glycerol is called an ester linkage.