3. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of phospholipids
help to maintain the structure of cell membranes. Lipids align themselves in
watery solutions so that the polar part or phosphate faces out towards water
molecules while the nonpolar fatty acids face inwards towards other nonpolar
fatty acids. This arrangement of polar parts towards polar water and nonpolar
parts towards other nonpolar fatty acids maintains the structure of the membrane.
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Slichter