Glycerol

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/glycerol

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Glycerol?1778
2. What is the scientific name?Propane-1,2,3-triol
3. What is the key chemical property?Highly hygroscopic and miscible with water due to three hydroxyl groups
4. What is glycerol and why does it taste sweet?Glycerol is a sweet, sticky liquid made of three carbon atoms, each with a hydroxyl group. Its chemical structure gives it a natural sweet taste.
5. How does glycerol help keep food from going stale?Glycerol absorbs water from the air and keeps foods moist. This prevents baked goods from drying out and staying soft.

Triol: An organic compound containing three hydroxyl (-OH) functional groups.
Lipids: A group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, and sterols.
Saponification: The chemical process of making soap by reacting fats or oils with an alkali.
Feedstock: Raw material used in industrial processes to produce other chemicals or products.