Question

Plasma membranes are arranged in what configuration?

A. The Fatty acid tails align with the proteins because they are hydrophilic.
B. Fatty acid tails align on the outside and inside of the cell near the water, and the phosphate and glycerol groups line up in between those to hide from the water.
C. Phosphate and glycerol groups align on the outside and inside of the cell near the water, and fatty acid tails line up in between those to hide from the water.
D. The phosphate/carboxyl group hides from the water because it is hydrophobic.

Answer 1

Plasma membranes are composed of a phospholipid bilayer, where the hydrophilic heads face outward and the hydrophobic tails face inward, away from water, creating a barrier that separates the cell from its environment.Hence, the correct answer is option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The configuration of plasma membranes is understood through the structure known as the phospholipid bilayer. In this configuration, each phospholipid molecule is composed of a hydrophilic (water-loving) head, which includes a phosphate group and a glycerol molecule, and two hydrophobic (water-hating) fatty acid tails. These properties lead to an arrangement in which the hydrophilic heads face the aqueous environments both outside and inside the cell, while the hydrophobic tails face inward, away from the water, creating a bilayer that acts as a barrier. Therefore, the correct configuration for a plasma membrane is: C. Phosphate and glycerol groups align on the outside and inside of the cell near the water, and fatty acid tails line up in between those to hide from the water.