Question

When phospholipids are mixed with water their ____ interact with water and their ____ are repelled, forming a lipid bilayer. hydrophilic heads; hydrophobic tails hydrophobic tails; hydrophilic heads hydrophobic heads; hydrophilic tails hydrophilic tails; hydrophobic heads?

Answer 1

The answer is; hydrophilic heads; hydrophobic tails

The hydrophilic heads of a phospholipid are composed of a phosphate and glycerol molecule. Since the phosphate has a charge, the head are able to interact with water molecules through hydrogen bonds (Remember water is a polar molecule). The hydrophobic tails are composed of hydrocarbon chains that are uncharged hence do not interact with water. When phospholipids are immersed in water, they form a bilipid layer - with the hydrophobic tails clumped up together in the center and the hydrophilic heads on the outside.