Question
The cell membrane is
important for
maintaining
homeostasis, because it
controls what enters
and leaves a cell.
1. Sketch the
phospholipid bilayer of a cell membrane below and label the
polar heads and nonpolar tails.
important for
maintaining
homeostasis, because it
controls what enters
and leaves a cell.
1. Sketch the
phospholipid bilayer of a cell membrane below and label the
polar heads and nonpolar tails.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To sketch the phospholipid bilayer of a cell membrane, you can follow these instructions:
1. **Draw two parallel lines** to represent the bilayer. The space between the two lines represents the interior of the membrane.
2. **Draw the phospholipid molecules**. Each molecule consists of a "head" and two "tails":
- For the **polar heads**, draw small circles or ovals facing outward (towards the exterior of the cell on the top line and towards the interior of the cell on the bottom line).
- For the **nonpolar tails**, draw two wavy lines extending inward from each head, pointing toward each other in the center gap.
Here’s a basic sketch guideline:
```
(Head) (Head)
O O
\ /
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
/ \
O O
(Tail) (Tail)
```
### Labeling:
- Label the **polar heads** as "Polar Heads" (the O shapes).
- Label the **nonpolar tails** as "Nonpolar Tails" (the wavy lines).
Make sure to emphasize that the heads face the aqueous environments both inside and outside the cell, while the tails face each other, creating a hydrophobic interior. This arrangement is crucial for the membrane's function in maintaining homeostasis by regulating what enters and exits the cell.
1. **Draw two parallel lines** to represent the bilayer. The space between the two lines represents the interior of the membrane.
2. **Draw the phospholipid molecules**. Each molecule consists of a "head" and two "tails":
- For the **polar heads**, draw small circles or ovals facing outward (towards the exterior of the cell on the top line and towards the interior of the cell on the bottom line).
- For the **nonpolar tails**, draw two wavy lines extending inward from each head, pointing toward each other in the center gap.
Here’s a basic sketch guideline:
```
(Head) (Head)
O O
\ /
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
/ \
O O
(Tail) (Tail)
```
### Labeling:
- Label the **polar heads** as "Polar Heads" (the O shapes).
- Label the **nonpolar tails** as "Nonpolar Tails" (the wavy lines).
Make sure to emphasize that the heads face the aqueous environments both inside and outside the cell, while the tails face each other, creating a hydrophobic interior. This arrangement is crucial for the membrane's function in maintaining homeostasis by regulating what enters and exits the cell.