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How can you measure fats by acid hydrolysis?
Accepted Answer
Acid hydrolysis can be used to break down fats (triglycerides) into their component fatty acids and glycerol. Here's how it works:
1. Reaction: The fat is reacted with a strong acid, typically hydrochloric acid (HCl), in the presence of heat. The acid catalyzes the breaking of the ester bonds that link the fatty acids to glycerol.
2. Hydrolysis: Water molecules are involved in the reaction, breaking the ester bonds and forming free fatty acids and glycerol.
3. Titration: The liberated fatty acids can be titrated with a standard solution of a base, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH). This allows you to determine the amount of fatty acids present and, by extension, the amount of fat in the original sample.
4. Calculation: The amount of fat can be calculated using the known stoichiometry of the reaction and the concentration of the base used in the titration.
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