Final answer:
Direct answer: a. Lipids can be a component of the cellular membrane. Explanation: Lipids, including phospholipids, are crucial for cell membrane structure and are hydrophobic molecules that play various roles within cells, but they are not polymers made from monosaccharides, nor are they made with nucleotides, nor do they act as catalysts, and they typically do not contain nitrogen.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lipids can indeed be a component of the cellular membrane. This is the correct direct answer from the given choices. Lipids, including fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids, serve roles in energy storage, acting as important constituents of cellular membranes, particularly phospholipids, and as precursors for hormones, like steroids. They are hydrophobic due to their nonpolar nature, which is characteristic of their largely hydrocarbon-based structure. Phospholipids are specially structured with hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads, forming the bilayer of cell membranes, crucial for cell function and integrity.
Unlike the erroneous options provided, lipids are not polymers of monosaccharides; that describes carbohydrates. They are not made by dehydration synthesis with nucleotides; that refers to nucleic acids. Also, lipids do not function as catalysts; that is the role of enzymes, which are proteins. Additionally, most lipids do not contain nitrogen in their basic structure, a feature more typical of proteins and nucleic acids.