Complex lipids such as true fats, phospholipids, and waxes can be hydrolyzed. A fatty acid is a long-chain carbon skeleton that has a carboxylic acid functional group. Saturated fatty acid refers to carbon skeleton that has as much hydrogen bonded to it as possible. Examples are butter, whale blubber, suet, lard , etc. If the carbons are double-bonded to each other at one or more points, the fatty acid is said to be unsaturated .
Examples are peanut oil, corn oil, olive oil, etc.
When glycerol and 3 fatty acid chains are combined, a triglyceride or fat molecule is formed. Fats are important molecules for storing energy. There is twice as much energy in a gram of fat as in a gram of sugar. Phospholipids are lipids which contain attached phosphate groups. Some of the phopholipids are better known as lecithins.