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Multiple Choice
Why do phospholipids form a double layer in aqueous environments?
A
Because they are entirely hydrophobic and avoid water.
B
Because their hydrophilic tails attract water and their hydrophobic heads repel water.
C
Because they are entirely hydrophilic and dissolve in water.
D
Because their hydrophobic tails repel water and their hydrophilic heads attract water.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the structure of phospholipids: Phospholipids consist of a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head and two hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails.
Recognize the behavior of phospholipids in water: In an aqueous environment, the hydrophilic heads interact with water, while the hydrophobic tails avoid water.
Visualize the formation of a bilayer: Phospholipids arrange themselves into a double layer, or bilayer, with the hydrophilic heads facing outward towards the water and the hydrophobic tails facing inward, away from the water.
Consider the stability of the bilayer: This arrangement is energetically favorable because it maximizes the interaction of the hydrophilic heads with water and minimizes the exposure of the hydrophobic tails to water.
Relate the bilayer structure to biological membranes: The phospholipid bilayer forms the fundamental structure of cell membranes, providing a barrier that separates the internal environment of the cell from the external aqueous environment.