Which types of fats are typically liquid at room temperature?

In understanding the types of fats and their physical states at room temperature, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats stand out because they contain one or more double bonds in their fatty acid chains. This structural difference leads to a kink in the chain, preventing the molecules from packing closely together. As a result, these fats remain liquid at room temperature. Common examples of such fats include olive oil and fish oil.

In contrast, saturated fats, which have no double bonds, pack more tightly and usually exist as solids at room temperature, such as butter and lard. Trans fats, which can be artificially created through hydrogenation, also behave more like saturated fats, leading to a solid state at room temperature, despite their name. Thus, the characteristic of being liquid at room temperature distinctly belongs to unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.