Carboxylic Acids have an -COOH- Functional Group on the end of a standard alkane.
alcohol + carboxylic acid <----> ester + water. This is know as esterfication.
They often smell sweet and fruity, and they are also volatile (evaporate easily: makes the smell spread) which makes them ideal for perfumes.
Esters are also used for flavourings, eg: apple, orange, banana etc. They are also used as solvents and plasticisers (make things more flexible)
Fatty Acids are Carboxylic Acids. They often have between 16 and 20 carbon atoms. Fatty acids can be saturated (only C-C single bond) or unsaturated (with C=C double bonds)
Plants and animals often make oils and fats to store energy. When an organism has more energy than it needs it stores some as fat, which they can use later.
Animal Fats: saturated hydrocarbon chains, normaly solid at room temperature.
Vegetable Oils: unsaturated C=C bonds, normaly liquid at room temperature.
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