Phospholipids heated in an aqueous solution tend to form what structures?
AFlat sheets with tails exposed to water
BSmall spheres called micelles or liposomes
CLong crystalline fibres of paired tails
DSingle layers with heads pointing inward
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Small spheres called micelles or liposomes
1. Phospholipids heated in an aqueous solution spontaneously form small spheres or droplets.
2. These are called micelles or liposomes.
3. Their hydrophilic heads form the exterior and their hydrophobic tails sit on the inside.
4. Any structure that leaves tails exposed to water, or turns heads inward, is the opposite of what the tails and heads prefer.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 5 "Structure and Function of Plasma Membranes", section 5.1 Components and Structure_
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