Question

Select the true statements.
Phospholipids have carbon atoms arranged in two long chains.
Phospholipids contain only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
Cell membranes contain phospholipids.

Answer 1

True: 1 and 3.
False: 2.

Brief reasons:
- 1 is true: phospholipids typically have two long hydrocarbon (carbon) chains — the fatty acid tails — attached to a glycerol backbone.
- 2 is false: phospholipids also contain oxygen and phosphorus (in the phosphate group) and often nitrogen in the head group, not just C and H.
- 3 is true: cell membranes are built from a phospholipid bilayer (phospholipids are a major membrane component).