Which structural description accurately fits the triglycerides stored in human fat tissue?

Core Concept

A triglyceride forms when each of glycerol's three hydroxyl groups reacts with a fatty acid carboxyl group, losing water and leaving behind an ester bond. Because the molecule combines three separate building blocks rather than repeating one monomer, fats belong to the lipids yet are not true polymers like starch or protein. The long hydrocarbon chains account for the hydrophobic, energy-dense character of stored fat.