Multiple Choice
In the context of the lipid bilayer, what is the primary function of carbohydrates attached to membrane lipids and proteins on the extracellular surface?
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8. Membrane Structure
The Lipid Bilayer
Multiple Choice
In a phospholipid that makes up the lipid bilayer, which part of the molecule is hydrophobic?
A
The fatty acid (hydrocarbon) tails
B
The phosphate group in the head
C
The glycerol backbone
D
The polar head group (e.g., choline)
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the structure of a phospholipid molecule, which consists of a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head and hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails.
Identify the components of the phospholipid: the polar head group (such as choline), the phosphate group, the glycerol backbone, and the fatty acid tails.
Recognize that the polar head group and phosphate group are hydrophilic because they interact well with water due to their polarity.
Know that the glycerol backbone acts as a linker between the head and the tails but is not the main hydrophobic part.
Conclude that the fatty acid (hydrocarbon) tails are hydrophobic because they are nonpolar and avoid water, making them the part of the molecule that is hydrophobic.
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