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Q: What diffusion is the movement of small nonpolar molecules through the phospholipid Bilayer?
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How does eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms undergo facilitated diffusion?

Diffusion is the ability of molecules to follow a concentration gradient, moving from regions of high to low concentration. For small, nonpolar molecules such as O2, CO2, and some narcotics, they are small enough to slip through the phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membrane. Small, polar molecules such as water, are also small enough to slip through, but because of their polar nature, this movement is impeded by a factor of 1000. What about larger molecules like glucose? These molecules are too big to slip through the phospholipid bilayer, regardless of the concentration gradient. Larger molecules require a protein channel for transport across the plasma membrane. Because the movement will be driven by the concentration gradient, this movement is called facilitated diffusion, to indicate that a protein channel is necessary. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have protein channels for this purpose.


How does the structure of phospholipids linear molecules with a polar end and a nonpolar end relate to their function in the cell membrane?

Which is the effect of having the polar and nonpolar ends of phospholipid molecules oriented as they are in this illustration?


How would a polar molecule like water travel through the plasma membrane?

The structure of cell membrane allows nonpolar molecules to diffuse, but not polar molecules. Membrane architecture is in the form of a phospholipid bilayer. A single phospholipid has a "head" composed of a polar NH3 group, and two "tails" composed of nonpolar fatty acids. The lipids spontaneously arrange themselves into bilayers with the hydrophilic heads directed outward, and the hydrophobic tails facing inward. Because nonpolar solvents can only dissolve nonpolar solutes, polar molecules cannot mix with the nonpolar inside of the lipid bilayer. A polar molecule cannot cross the cell's lipid membrane without aid from a carrier protein. While this is true, there are multiple forces that dictate whether or not a molecule can cross a phospholipid membrane, including electrochemical gradients and size. Very small and non-polar molecules have a very easy time crossing the phospholipid bilayer. However, very small, polar molecules like water can also cross the phospholipid bilayer due to hydrostatic pressure and concentration gradient differences. Water will, but with some difficulty because of it's polarity. Aquaporins, protein channels embedded into cellular membranes allow for sufficient amounts of water to diffuse into cells.


What are molecules that do not have opposite charged ends?

Molecules that do not have oppositely charged ends are nonpolar molecules.


Why do oxygen molecules easily diffuse across a cell membrane while glucose molecules do not?

Oxygen molecules are small and nonpolar, which allows them to easily pass through the hydrophobic lipid bilayer of the cell membrane via simple diffusion. Glucose molecules, on the other hand, are larger and polar, making it more difficult for them to move through the nonpolar interior of the lipid bilayer. They require specific transport proteins or channels to facilitate their movement across the membrane.

Related questions

How does eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms undergo facilitated diffusion?

Diffusion is the ability of molecules to follow a concentration gradient, moving from regions of high to low concentration. For small, nonpolar molecules such as O2, CO2, and some narcotics, they are small enough to slip through the phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membrane. Small, polar molecules such as water, are also small enough to slip through, but because of their polar nature, this movement is impeded by a factor of 1000. What about larger molecules like glucose? These molecules are too big to slip through the phospholipid bilayer, regardless of the concentration gradient. Larger molecules require a protein channel for transport across the plasma membrane. Because the movement will be driven by the concentration gradient, this movement is called facilitated diffusion, to indicate that a protein channel is necessary. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have protein channels for this purpose.


Diffusion of nonpolar molecules would not be affected by?

Diffusion of nonpolar molecules would not be affected by charge. Allosteric inhibition is generally a result of binding regulatory molecule at a site other than the active site.


A phospholipid molecule has a polar and a nonpolar end because of this water molecules form what kind of bond?

hydrogen bonds with the polar end of the phospholipid molecule


How does the structure of phospholipids linear molecules with a polar end and a nonpolar end relate to their function in the cell membrane?

Which is the effect of having the polar and nonpolar ends of phospholipid molecules oriented as they are in this illustration?


How would a polar molecule like water travel through the plasma membrane?

The structure of cell membrane allows nonpolar molecules to diffuse, but not polar molecules. Membrane architecture is in the form of a phospholipid bilayer. A single phospholipid has a "head" composed of a polar NH3 group, and two "tails" composed of nonpolar fatty acids. The lipids spontaneously arrange themselves into bilayers with the hydrophilic heads directed outward, and the hydrophobic tails facing inward. Because nonpolar solvents can only dissolve nonpolar solutes, polar molecules cannot mix with the nonpolar inside of the lipid bilayer. A polar molecule cannot cross the cell's lipid membrane without aid from a carrier protein. While this is true, there are multiple forces that dictate whether or not a molecule can cross a phospholipid membrane, including electrochemical gradients and size. Very small and non-polar molecules have a very easy time crossing the phospholipid bilayer. However, very small, polar molecules like water can also cross the phospholipid bilayer due to hydrostatic pressure and concentration gradient differences. Water will, but with some difficulty because of it's polarity. Aquaporins, protein channels embedded into cellular membranes allow for sufficient amounts of water to diffuse into cells.


Is soap polar nonpolar?

Soap is actually both. It is similar to a phospholipid in that it has a polar head and a nonpolar tail.


What part of the phospholipid is nonpolar?

the two fatty acid tails


What are molecules that do not have opposite charged ends?

Molecules that do not have oppositely charged ends are nonpolar molecules.


What do nonpolar molecule have?

Nonpolar molecules have no net dipoles. The most common nonpolar molecules are hydrocarbons. These are molecules made entirely of carbon and hydrogen atoms.


What molecules carry cholesterol through the blood stream?

Cholesterols, as well as exogenous (from diet) triacylglycerols, are transported, from the intestines to the tissues through the blood stream, by lipoproteins called chylomicrons, globular micellelike particles that consist of a nonpolar core of triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters surrounded by an amphiphilic coating protein, phospholipid, and cholsterol.


Why do oxygen molecules easily diffuse across a cell membrane while glucose molecules do not?

Oxygen molecules are small and nonpolar, which allows them to easily pass through the hydrophobic lipid bilayer of the cell membrane via simple diffusion. Glucose molecules, on the other hand, are larger and polar, making it more difficult for them to move through the nonpolar interior of the lipid bilayer. They require specific transport proteins or channels to facilitate their movement across the membrane.


What best describe the tail of a phospholipid molecule?

Neutral charge, nonpolar, and hydrophobic.