How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
1 · Open in two lines. Fatty acids are hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group (–COOH) at one end, written R–COOH. They are the building blocks of most fats and oils.
2 · Draw a labelled fatty acid. [Diagram: CH3 end … C3 (β), C2 (α), C1 (COOH); one cis double bond; Δ numbering from COOH and ω numbering from CH3]
3 · Classify by chain length and saturation.
Short chain (up to 6 C, butyric in ghee), medium (8–14 C, lauric in coconut oil), long (16 C and above, palmitic).
Saturated (no double bond, stearic), MUFA (one, oleic), PUFA (two or more, linoleic).
4 · Classify by omega family, shape and carbon number.
Even (most natural) and odd (rare, e.g. propionic).
5 · Significance. The type of fatty acid decides whether a fat is solid or liquid and how it affects blood cholesterol. Linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids are essential.
6 · Nutrition link. Use a mix of oils such as groundnut, gingelly and mustard; limit ghee, palm oil and vanaspati.
7 · Close in one line. Sum up: chain length and double bonds decide a fatty acid's type and its effect on health.
Scoring tip: A small table with one example and one Indian food source per group scores well.
Write-up practice
The check looks for key words only. It does not grade your answer and never writes it for you.