Vegetable fats and oils are lipid materials derived from plants. Physically, oils are liquid at room temperature, and fats are solid. Chemically, both fats and oils are composed of triglycerides, as contrasted with waxes which lack glycerin in their structure. Although many different parts of plants may yield oil, in commercial practice, oil is extracted primarily from seeds.

The melting temperature distinction between oils and fats is imprecise, since definitions of room temperature vary, and typically natural oils have a melting range instead of a single melting point.

Vegetable fats and oils may be edible or inedible. Examples of inedible vegetable fats and oils include processed linseed oil, tung oil, and castor oil used in lubricants, paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial purposes. Although thought of as esters of glycerin and a varying blend of fatty acids, fats and oils also typically contain free fatty acids, monoglycerides, and diglycerides.

Room temperature

Room temperature is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space at which humans are accustomed. Room temperature is thus often indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 68°F (20°C) to 77°F (25°C),[citation needed] though climate may acclimatize people to higher or lower temperatures.

The term can also refer to a temperature of food to be consumed, which is placed in such a room for a given time. Furthermore, it may refer to a certain temperature within settings of scientific experiments and calculations.

For human comfort, desirable room temperature greatly depends on individual needs[citation needed] and various other factors. According to the West Midlands Public Health Observatory, 69.8°F (23°C) is the recommended living room temperature, whereas 64.4°F (18°C) is the recommended bedroom temperature.[1] A study carried out at the Uppsala University, on indoor air quality and subjective indoor air quality (SIAQ) in primary schools, states that perception of high room temperature was related to a poor climate of cooperation. To achieve a good SIAQ, it recommends room temperature should be at a maximum of 77.0°F (25.0°C).

Wax

Wax refers to beeswax or another substance with similar properties. The traditional meaning, beeswax, refers to a substance secreted by bees and used by them in constructing their honeycombs. The term has come to refer more generally to a class of substances with properties similar to beeswax, enumerated below:

* plastic (malleable) at normal ambient temperatures
* a melting point above approximately 45 °C (113 °F) (which differentiates waxes from fats and oils)
* a relatively low viscosity when melted (unlike many plastics)
* insoluble in water
* hydrophobic

Waxes may be natural secretions of plants or animals, artificially produced by purification from natural petroleum or completely synthetic. In addition to beeswax, carnauba (a plant epicuticular wax) and paraffin (a petroleum wax) are commonly encountered waxes which occur naturally. Earwax is an oily substance found in the human ear. Some artificial materials such as silicone wax that exhibit similar properties are also described as wax or waxy.

Glycerol

Glycerol is an organic compound, also commonly called glycerin or glycerine. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is widely used in pharmaceutical formulations. Glycerol has three hydrophilic hydroxyl groups that are responsible for its solubility in water and its hygroscopic nature. The glycerol substructure is a central component of many lipids. Glycerol is sweet-tasting and of low toxicity.

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