The Phosphate "Head" of a Phospholipid Is

Question

The phosphate "head" of a phospholipid is
A)hydrophobic.
B)hydrophilic.
C)polar.
D)nonpolar.
E)both hydrophilic and polar.

Accepted Answer

The phosphate "head" of a phospholipid is both hydrophilic, meaning it is attracted to water, and polar, which refers to a distribution of electric charge leading to parts of the molecule having partial positive and negative charges. These properties allow the phospholipid to interact with water and form the bilayer structure of cell membranes, with the hydrophilic heads facing the aqueous environments inside and outside the cell, and the hydrophobic tails facing each other.