Answer options:
- In a bilayer with the phospholipids alternating the orientation of the phosphate heads and tails in a regular pattern.
- In a bilayer with the fatty acid tails on the outside in contact with the extracellular environment and cytoplasm and the phosphate heads sandwiched in between.
- In a single layer with the phosphate heads in contact with the extracellular environment and the fatty acid tails in contact with the cytoplasm.
- In a single layer with the fatty acid tails in contact with the extracellular environment and the phosphate heads in contact with the cytoplasm.
Answer:
- In a bilayer with the fatty acid tails on the outside in contact with the extracellular environment and cytoplasm and the phosphate heads sandwiched in between.
Explanation:
The phosphate heads are polar, and will therefore avoid the nonpolar solution on the inside and outside of the cell. Instead, they will huddle together and face towards each other.
The fatty acid tails are non-polar and are not repelled by this solution, so will face the outside.
Essentially, the orientation of the phospholipid bilayer would be flipped from its normal arrangement.
