Which of the following describes why phospholipids are better suited to forming the cell membrane than regular fats or steroids?

Which of the following describes why phospholipids are better suited to forming the cell membrane than regular fats or steroids class=


Answer :

Based on the information provided in the image, the statement that best describes why phospholipids are better suited to forming the cell membrane than regular fats or steroids is:

"Their phosphate group gives them a hydrophilic end."

This hydrophilic (water-loving) end, combined with the hydrophobic fatty acid tails (not explicitly mentioned in the image but a known feature of phospholipids), allows phospholipids to form bilayers in aqueous environments. This amphipathic nature is crucial for membrane formation, as it allows the phospholipids to orient themselves with hydrophilic heads facing the watery environments on both sides of the membrane and hydrophobic tails facing each other in the middle. This structure is essential for the cell membrane's function as a selective barrier, which neither regular fats (purely hydrophobic) nor steroids (which have a different structure) can achieve as effectively.