Lesson 3.1.3.1

3.1.3.1 Triglycerides and phospholipids Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.3.1, Triglycerides and phospholipids: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Biology (7402), Unit 1: Biological molecules, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. How many fatty acid molecules combine with one glycerol molecule to form a triglyceride?

    • 2
    • 1
    • 4
    • 3

  2. What type of bond is formed between glycerol and a fatty acid?

    • Ester bond
    • Phosphodiester bond
    • Peptide bond
    • Glycosidic bond

  3. How many fatty acid chains does a phospholipid contain?

    • 4
    • 2
    • 1
    • 3

  4. In a phospholipid, what group from a triglyceride is replaced by a phosphate group?

    • Three fatty acids
    • Two ester bonds
    • One fatty acid
    • One glycerol molecule

  5. Which feature defines a saturated fatty acid hydrocarbon chain?

    • Many double bonds
    • No single bonds
    • No double bonds
    • One double bond

  6. What structural effect does a double bond have on a fatty acid chain?

    • Forms a ring
    • Creates a kink
    • Breaks the chain
    • Straightens the chain

  7. Which element is found in the phosphate-containing group of phospholipids but absent from triglycerides?

    • Nitrogen
    • Iron
    • Phosphorus
    • Sulfur

  8. How many water molecules are released when one triglyceride forms from glycerol and three fatty acids?

    • 6
    • 3
    • 1
    • 2

  9. How many ester bonds are present in a phospholipid molecule?

    • 4
    • 2
    • 1
    • 3

  10. Fats that are solid at room temperature contain mainly which type of fatty acid?

    • Phosphorylated
    • Polyunsaturated
    • Saturated
    • Monounsaturated

  11. Which part of a phospholipid molecule is described as hydrophilic?

    • Fatty acid tail
    • Phosphate head
    • Glycerol backbone
    • Ester bond

  12. Calculate the molar mass of a triglyceride made from glycerol (92 g/mol) and three stearic acid molecules (284 g/mol each), given that three water molecules (18 each) are removed.

    • 944 g/mol
    • 836 g/mol
    • 890 g/mol
    • 926 g/mol

  13. What type of bond is present in an unsaturated fatty acid chain?

    • C-C single bond
    • O-H single bond
    • C=C double bond
    • C=O double bond

  14. Why do triglycerides store more energy per gram than carbohydrates?

    • Higher oxygen ratio
    • Higher C-H ratio
    • More ester bonds
    • Lower carbon content

  15. Which property explains why triglycerides are insoluble in water?

    • They are non-polar
    • They are ionic
    • They form polymers
    • They are polar

  16. What structural property allows phospholipids to form a bilayer in water?

    • Amphipathic
    • Polar
    • Non-polar
    • Hydrophobic

  17. Two glycerol molecules each combine with three fatty acids to form two triglycerides. How many water molecules are released?

    • 6
    • 4
    • 12
    • 3

  18. What charge property gives the phosphate group of a phospholipid its polar nature?

    • Negative charge
    • No charge
    • Neutral charge
    • Positive charge

  19. Why do saturated fatty acid chains pack closely together?

    • They contain rings
    • They are branched
    • They are straight
    • They have kinks

  20. What are the products formed by the complete hydrolysis of a triglyceride?

    • Glycerol and fatty acids
    • Glycerol and amino acids
    • Glucose and fatty acids
    • Glycerol and nucleotides

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