Final answer:
The components of the plasma membrane that allow it to perform its characteristic functions are proteins, phospholipids, and carbohydrates, which work together to form a functional membrane.
Step-by-step explanation:
The components of the plasma membrane that allow it to perform its characteristic functions include proteins, phospholipids, and carbohydrates. Each of these components plays a specific role in the membrane's function. Phospholipids form the fundamental bilayer that comprises the fluid mosaic model of the membrane.
Proteins are embedded within or attached to this bilayer and serve a variety of functions, including transport of materials into or out of the cell. Carbohydrates are attached to proteins, forming glycoproteins, or to lipids, forming glycolipids, and they are crucial for cell recognition processes. These carbohydrate chains are present only on the plasma membrane's exterior surface. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question would be D) All of the above.
The principal components of a plasma membrane are lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The lipids include phospholipids and cholesterol. Proteins can either float in the bilayer or be attached to one side of it. Carbohydrate chains are attached to the proteins and lipids on the outside surface of the membrane.