Hydrogenation saturates vegetable oil to form solid margarine

Steps:

• Vegetable oil contains unsaturated fatty acids with carbon-carbon double bonds, making it liquid at room temperature.
• Margarine is produced by partial hydrogenation, adding hydrogen to some double bonds and increasing saturation.
• More saturated fats have stronger intermolecular forces, leading to higher melting points.
• Thus, margarine, being more saturated, melts at a higher temperature than vegetable oil.

Why C is correct:

• Hydrogenation reduces double bonds, increasing saturation and melting point, as defined by the process converting liquid oils to solid spreads for stability.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Vegetable oil is liquid, but margarine is solid at room temperature due to hydrogenation.
• B: Vegetable oil occurs naturally, but margarine is a processed product, not found in nature.
• D: Vegetable oil has more carbon-carbon double bonds (unsaturated) than hydrogenated margarine, which has fewer.

Final answer: C