Which of the following statements is true regarding the phospholipid bilayer in

Question

Which of the following statements is true regarding the phospholipid bilayer in cell membranes?

A) Water and ions are unable to cross the bilayer due to the charges present in the head groups.

B) Water and ions are unable to cross the bilayer due to the hydrophobic tails of the phospholipid molecules.

C) Water and ions are encouraged to cross the bilayer by interacting with the charges present in the head groups.

D) The molecules in the bilayer are fluid and so the cell membrane is porous, allowing the passage of ions and water freely across the cell membrane

Explanation / Answer

D) The molecules in the bilayer are fluid and so the cell membrane is porous, allowing the passage of ions and water freely across the cell membrane

Explanation:

The Plasma membrane is selectively permeable to small molecules. The lipid bilayer of the cell membrane is permeable to water molecules and a few other small, uncharged, molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide.

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