Lipids - 3.5 - (3)

Question 1

As a result of their hydrophobic/hydrophilic structure, how do phosphilids behave and with what?

Answer 1

they behave in an interesting way when they interact with water

Question 2

Where do phospholipids form a layer on?

Answer 2

the surface of the water with the phosphate heads in the water and the fatty acid tails sticking out of the water

Question 3

Because of the way phospholipids react with water, what are they called?

Answer 3

surface active agents or surfactants

Question 4

What can phospholipids also form structures based on?

Answer 4

a two-layered sheet formation (a bilayer) with all of their hydrophobic tails pointing towards the centre of the sheet, protected from the water by the hydrophilic heads

Question 5

As a result of this bilayer arrangement, what do phospholipids play a key role in?

Answer 5

forming cell membranes

Question 6

What are phospholipids able to separate?

Answer 6

an aqueous enviroment in which cells usually exist from the aqueous cytosol within cells - this is how the first cells formed and membrane-bound organelles within cells