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Small polar molecules can pass through the plasma membrane through a process called simple diffusion, where they move from an area of high concentration to low concentration without the need for energy or a transport protein.

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7mo ago

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Can large polar molecules pass through the plasma membrane?

No, large polar molecules cannot pass through the plasma membrane.


What molecules would be most likely to pass through the lipid bilyer of a plasma membrane?

ions and polar molecules


What are the molecules in the plasma membrane made of?

phospholipids are the molecules that make up the plasma membrane and they are made of polar (hydrophilic) heads and 2 non-polar (hydrophobic) tails


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 Substances that can freely dissolve through the plasma membrane are made of?

Substances that can freely dissolve through the plasma membrane are generally small and nonpolar molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ethanol. These molecules are able to pass through the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane without requiring a specific transport protein.


Does not pass easily through plasma membrane?

Molecules that are large, polar, or charged generally do not pass easily through the plasma membrane. These types of molecules require transport proteins to facilitate their movement across the membrane. Examples include glucose, ions, and water.


How easy or hard is it for polar molecules to pass through the cell membrane?

Polar molecules are effectively charged molecules. It's hard for them to cross the cell membrane because the membrane is comprised of an uncharged phospholipid bilayer. Charged molecules tend to have specific protein channels that allow them to cross the membrane.


What organic molecules allow ions and polar molecules to pass through the plasma membrane?

Integral membrane proteins, specifically channel proteins and carrier proteins, facilitate the passage of ions and polar molecules through the plasma membrane. Channel proteins form specific pores that allow ions to move down their concentration gradients, while carrier proteins undergo conformational changes to transport polar molecules across the membrane. These proteins are essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating the movement of substances in and out of the cell.


What types of molecules can pass through the plasma membrane easily and which cannot?

Small, nonpolar molecules, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, can easily pass through the plasma membrane due to their ability to dissolve in the lipid bilayer. Additionally, small polar molecules like water can also cross the membrane, albeit less efficiently. In contrast, larger polar molecules and ions cannot pass through the membrane easily and typically require specific transport proteins or channels to facilitate their movement.


Why can polar molecules pass through a cell's plasma membrane?

If by why you mean how, then the answer lies in the fact that cell membranes have special transport channels for different materials. Essentially, the phospholipid bilayer means that the outside of the cell membrane is charged (polar) and the inside is uncharged (non-polar). Whilst uncharged molecules can easily squeeze in between the phospholipids, the charged molecules have a problem. Because they carry a charge it means that they cannot enter the area in the middle where there is no charge, so there are special protein channels. These channels are lined with charge and allow the passage of polar (charged) molecules through the cell membrane.


Molecules that permeate a plasma membrane by facilitated diffusion is what?

Molecules that permeate a plasma membrane by facilitated diffusion are typically larger, polar molecules that cannot pass through the lipid bilayer unassisted. These molecules rely on specific transport proteins embedded within the membrane to facilitate their movement across the membrane down their concentration gradient.


What types of molecules have difficulty crossing the plasma membrane?

Large molecules like proteins and nucleic acids have difficulty crossing the plasma membrane due to their size. Charged molecules or ions also face barriers crossing the membrane because of the hydrophobic nature of the lipid bilayer. Additionally, molecules that are not lipid-soluble may have difficulty passing through the membrane.