Final answer:
Substances such as long-chain fatty acids, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins would partition inside the hydrophobic core of palmitic acid micelles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question centers on how certain substances would partition in water containing palmitic acid micelles. In a watery environment like the intestinal chyme, substances that are hydrophobic, such as long-chain fatty acids and monoacylglycerides, are not easily suspended. To overcome this, bile salts and lecithin form micelles, which are aggregates that have hydrophilic polar ends facing outwards and hydrophobic tails on the interior. This creates an environment where hydrophobic substances can be enclosed within the micelle. Micelles serve as transport mechanisms, allowing the enclosed lipids to reach epithelial cells for absorption.
Given that palmitic acid is a long-chain saturated fatty acid, it can be understood that other similar hydrophobic molecules would partition inside the hydrophobic core of the micelle. This includes fatty acids, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins. The core of the micelle acts as a transport mechanism, allowing these lipids to come in contact with the absorptive surfaces of the epithelial cells for absorption. On reaching the microvilli, the lipid substances diffuse out of the micelles and can then be absorbed into the cells where they may be re-esterified into triglycerides.