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===Lipids===

{{Main|Biolipid}}

Lipids are the most diverse group of biochemicals. Their main structural uses are as part of [[biological membrane]]s both internal and external, such as the [[cell membrane]]. Their [[chemical energy]] can also be used. Lipids are the polymers of fatty acids that contain a long, non-polar hydrocarbon chain with a small polar region containing oxygen. Lipids are usually defined as [[hydrophobe|hydrophobic]] or [[amphiphiles|amphipathic]] biological molecules but will dissolve in [[organic solvent]]s such as [[ethanol]], [[benzene]] or [[chloroform]]. The [[fat]]s are a large group of compounds that contain [[fatty acid]]s and [[glycerol]]; a glycerol molecule attached to three fatty acids by [[ester]] linkages is called a [[triglyceride|triacylglyceride]]. Several variations on this basic structure exist, including backbones such as [[sphingosine]] in [[sphingomyelin]], and [[hydrophile|hydrophilic]] groups such as [[phosphate]] as in [[phospholipid]]s. [[Steroid]]s such as [[sterol]] are another major class of lipids.