Question

Phospholipids tend to group together so that their polar parts face the surrounding aqueous environment, while their hydrophobic tails face each other. The resulting structures are called _______.
Multiple Choice
a. steroids
b. micelles
c. ketones
d. round cells

Answer 1

Answer: b. micelles

Explanation:

Phospholipids are lipids that contain a polar part, which is hydrophilic (i.e. likes water) and a non-polar part, which is hydrophobic (i.e. dislikes water).

When phospholipids are in an aqueous environment they form a structure called micelle, in which the polar heads face the water molecules and surround the non-polar tails which remain on the inside. This way, the polar heads protect the hydrophobic chains from exposure to the aqueous environment.

I've attached an image of a micelle for better understanding of its structure.