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What increases the strength of the hydrophobic interactions in lipid bilayers and thus makes them less permeable to polar molecules?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
increasing the length of hydrocarbon tails
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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What type of molecules can permeate the plasma membrane?
Any molecule smaller than the holes in the membrane can pass through is the membrane is permeable. If the membrane is semi-permeable, then only molecules that the membrane selects can pass through. Electronegativity and existence of lipid layers are common selective traits for semi-permeable membranes.
What is hydrophobic in cell membrane?
Only partially permeable (semipermeable), to allow certain, relatively small molecules such as simple sugars, oxygen and lipids in and out of the cell, but at the same time keeping larger macromolecules out.
How do water soluble molecules enter or exit a cell?
Water molecules move by osmosis through the cell membrane which is a selectively permeable membrane. Since the middle of the lipid bilayer is hydrophobic, the movement of water is made possible by water channels or aquaporins in the membrane.
What makes it possible for the plasma membrane to self assemble?
The plasma membrane is able to self-assemble due to the properties of its constituent molecules, such as phospholipids. Phospholipids have hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails, which drives them to form a bilayer structure when exposed to water. This spontaneous assembly is driven by the hydrophobic effect and results in the formation of a stable and selectively permeable membrane.
What is a selectively permeable memberane?
A selectively permeable membrane means that it lets some molecules through but others can't get in.
What molecules are permeable to the cell membrane?
Hydrophobic molecules are permeable to the cell membrane. Anything that is samll and hydrophobic will pass easily. Larger, hydrophilic molecules require a transport protein to allow permeability.
What type of molecules can permeate the plasma membrane?
Any molecule smaller than the holes in the membrane can pass through is the membrane is permeable. If the membrane is semi-permeable, then only molecules that the membrane selects can pass through. Electronegativity and existence of lipid layers are common selective traits for semi-permeable membranes.
What can you conclude about the advantage of the cell membrane having hydrophobic ends in the phospholipid bilayer?
Well it prevents polar molecules from passing through freely, giving the membrane its semi-permeable properties.
what does semi-permeable mean?
It means it has a cell wall.
The plasma membrane is a semipermeable membrane. This means that it is?
it is permeable to some molecules and not permeable to others.
What is hydrophobic in cell membrane?
Only partially permeable (semipermeable), to allow certain, relatively small molecules such as simple sugars, oxygen and lipids in and out of the cell, but at the same time keeping larger macromolecules out.
If a membrane was not permeable to sugars why would it probably also not be permeable to starch molecules?
If a membrane is permeable to a substance, it means that there are gaps/holes/pores in the membrane large enough for that substance to pass through. Starch molecules are bigger that sugar molecules. So if the membrane is not permeable to sugars, the gaps/holes/pores will not be big enough for starch molecules to pass through either.
What happens to the circumference of an egg when you put it in water for a day?
The eggs circumference increases because the water molecules will enter the semi-permeable membrane through a process called diffusion.
Is the Visking tubing a partailly permeable membrane and why?
Yes, it is a partially permeable membrane. It allows certain substances like glucose and water molecules to diffuse through but not large molecules like starch and sucrose. Selectively permeable.
What is meant by partially permeable?
a partially permeable membrane allows some molecules or ions to pass through it
What is most permeable to water and small molecules?
ureters
How do water soluble molecules enter or exit a cell?
Water molecules move by osmosis through the cell membrane which is a selectively permeable membrane. Since the middle of the lipid bilayer is hydrophobic, the movement of water is made possible by water channels or aquaporins in the membrane.
