Structure of the Cell Membrane

Question 1

What does the cell membrane control?

Answer 1

Movement of waste substances and nutrients into and out of the cell.

Question 2

Which molecules are the cell membrane composed of?

Answer 2

Phospholipids and proteins!

Question 3

When the 2 molecules that make up the 2 layers of the cell membrane, what is this arrangement called?

Answer 3

The phospholipid bilayer

Question 4

Which molecules of the membrane are hydrophilic heads? What does hydrophilic mean?

Answer 4

The phosphate molecules (make up the heads of each layer) like water.

Question 5

Which molecules of the membrane are hydrophobic tails? What does hydrophobic mean?

Answer 5

The fat (lipid) molecules (make up the tails of each layer) do not like water.

Question 6

What characteristic of the membrane allows things to drift past each other?

Answer 6

The fluidity of the membrane allows for things to drift past each other.