This molecule - glyceryl tristearate, "tristearin" - consists of
3 fatty acid residues, joined by
ester links
to a
glycerol unit.
In this model each fatty acid is stearic acid, C
17H
35COOH - a saturated fatty acid, but other fatty acids can also form triglycerides, and combinations of different fatty acids are possible.
The molecule has a hydrophobic nature so it is not soluble in water. Most of the carbon atoms are surrounded by hydrogens, and, unlike the components glycerol and stearic acid, there are no projecting -OH groups. The molecular formula is C
57H
110O
6.