If you mechanically shook a mixture of amphipathic lipids and water, what would you expect to see when the solution is observed with an electron microscope?
A) The lipids will have formed planar bilayer membranes.
B) The lipids will have formed tiny vesicles filled with water.
C) The lipids will have completely dissolved in the solution because they are partially polar.
D) The lipids and water will have separated into two distinct layers because the lipids are partially nonpolar.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Amphipathic lipids, when shaken with water, tend to form tiny vesicles or liposomes. These structures have a bilayer membrane with the hydrophobic tails facing inward and the hydrophilic heads facing outward, encapsulating water inside and also interacting with the water outside. This arrangement minimizes the energy state by reducing the exposure of the hydrophobic tails to water, which is energetically unfavorable.

If You Mechanically Shook a Mixture of Amphipathic Lipids and Water