Key Concepts and Summary. Lipids are composed mainly of carbon and hydrogen, but they can also contain oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous. ... Fatty acids chemically bond to glycerol to form structurally essential lipids such as triglycerides and phospholipids.

What are triglycerides composed of?

Triglycerides are lipid compounds composed of a glycerol esterified to 3 fatty acid chains of varying length and composition. These fatty acid chains can be saturated or unsaturated, and the chemical composition of each chain is different.

Do triglycerides contain phosphate and nitrogen?

Phospholipids are similar in structure to triglycerides, with the only difference being a phosphate group and nitrogen-containing compound in the place of a fatty acid. ... However, you will not normally find phospholipids arranged like a triglyceride, with the 3 tails opposite of the glycerol head.