Which of the following increases the strength of the hydrophobic interactions in lipid bilayers and thus makes them less permeable to polar molecules?
A) removing cholesterol
B) increasing length of the hydrocarbon chains
C) the presence of double bonds
D) increasing temperature

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Increasing the length of hydrocarbon chains in lipid bilayers increases the strength of hydrophobic interactions, which makes the bilayers less permeable to polar molecules. This is because longer chains have an increased number of van der Waals interactions, which results in tighter packing and less space for polar molecules to infiltrate the bilayer.

Which of the Following Increases the Strength of the Hydrophobic