Yes, vegetable oil absolutely contains carbon.
Vegetable oil is composed of molecules called triglycerides. These triglycerides are primarily made up of long hydrocarbon chains, meaning they consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The "hydrocarbon" part directly indicates the presence of carbon. These chains are linked to a glycerol molecule.
Here's a breakdown:
- Triglycerides: The main component of vegetable oil.
- Hydrocarbon Chains: These chains, which are part of the triglyceride molecule, consist of a backbone of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. Typical vegetable oil molecules contain hydrocarbon chains with 16-18 carbon atoms.
- Glycerol: A smaller molecule that connects the hydrocarbon chains in the triglyceride. Glycerol itself also contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Therefore, because vegetable oil is made of triglycerides which contain hydrocarbon chains and glycerol, it undeniably contains carbon. The long carbon chains even make vegetable oil more viscous than gasoline.
