Question

Which of the following statements about surfactant is false?

a. surfactant is a detergent-like mixture of lipids and peptides that decreases surface tension
b. surfactant is part of the aqueous film covering the alveolar surfaces
c. surfactant reduces the amount of work required to inflate the lung
d. surfactant works by increasing the attraction of water molecules to each other

Answer 1

The correct option is d). The false statement about surfactant is that it increases the attraction of water molecules to each other; in reality, surfactant decreases the surface tension in the alveoli.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement about surfactant that is false is: that surfactant works by increasing the attraction of water molecules to each other. Surfactant is indeed a detergent-like mixture of lipids and peptides that decreases surface tension. It is part of the aqueous film covering the alveolar surfaces and reduces the amount of work required to inflate the lungs. However, it does not increase the attraction of water molecules to each other but rather decreases this attraction, thereby reducing the surface tension at the air-water interface in the alveoli.