Which type of fatty acid has all carbons connected by single bonds?

A saturated fatty acid is characterized by having all carbon atoms connected to each other by single bonds. This structure allows for the maximum number of hydrogen atoms to be attached to the carbon skeleton, resulting in a straight chain that is typically solid at room temperature. This saturation means that there are no double bonds present between the carbon atoms.

On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds in their carbon chains, which creates kinks in their structure and reduces the number of hydrogen atoms that can be attached. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are a specific type of unsaturated fatty acid that has multiple double bonds. Trans fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fat with at least one trans double bond, which affects their health implications but does not change the presence of double bonds.

The defining characteristic of saturated fatty acids being composed entirely of single bonds makes them distinct from these other categories of fatty acids.