A mixed solution of water and small molecules is exposed to a cell membrane and allowed to interact for an hour. Which molecule would be most likely to cross the phospholipid bilayer without the aid of transport proteins and diffuse across the membrane the fastest?.



Answer :

[tex]O_{2}[/tex] molecule can diffuse easily and fastest across the membrane.

Lipids and proteins make up the plasma membrane, which controls how molecules enter and exit the cell. Lipophilic molecules are such molecules that can dissolve in the lipid bilayer, and are able to pass through cell membranes. The plasma membrane's phospholipid bilayer is dispersed throughout the membrane, creating a mosaic pattern. Additionally, there is a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic end to these phospholipids. The phospholipid bilayer can be traversed by molecules and ions thanks to the transport proteins, also known as carrier proteins. The hydrophilic tunnel that these proteins possess makes it possible for the polar molecule to pass through.

Phospholipid bilayers can only be freely traversed by small, uncharged molecules. Small nonpolar molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide can easily cross cell membranes because they are soluble in the lipid bilayer.

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