Final answer:
The statement is false; the plasma membrane is made up of a phospholipid bilayer that includes fatty acid chains and is selectively permeable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'the plasma membrane that surrounds each cell consists of non-fatty substances to allow for free movement of materials in and out of the cell' is False. The plasma membrane is primarily made up of a phospholipid bilayer, which includes fatty acid chains. This structure is critical for the membrane's function because it is amphiphilic, meaning it has both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) regions. These properties enable the membrane to control the movement of substances in and out of the cell, maintaining a condition termed selective permeability. Lipid-soluble substances can pass through the hydrophobic core of the membrane, while other substances may require transport proteins or other mechanisms to cross the membrane.