Any of numerous monobasic acids with the general formula CnH2n+1-COOH (an alkyl radical attached to a carboxyl group).
Fatty acids are insoluble in water. This insolubility would prevent their being absorbed from the intestines, but the action of bile salts on the fatty acids enable thems to be absorbed. Fatty acids include acetic, butyric, capric, caproic, caprylic, formic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double or triple bonds in the carbon chain. They include those of the oleic series (oleic, tiglic, hypogeic, and palmitoleic) and the linoleic or linolic series (linoleic, linolenic, clupanodonic, arachidonic, hydrocarpic, and chaulmoogric).
