Are Lipid Bi-layers formed because of "Attraction" or "Repulsion" t o water.?

Question

Lipid Bi-layers are formed from molecules that are both Hydophobic and Hydrophillic. Is one force stronger then the other.

Answer 1

Lipid bilayers are self-assembling because of their amphipathic (hating both) nature. That is, they are made of phopholipids which have a polar phosphate head which "hates" the non-polar interior of the bilayer. Because of this, the phophate heads faces the aquaeous environments of both the interior of the cell and the exterior of the cell. The nonpolar interior of the lipid bilayer is made up of the nonpolar hydrocarbon tails of the phospholipids which "hate" water. So the head points to what it loves and away from what it hates and the tail does the same thing.

So, the answer is both. Lipid bilayers are self-forming because of their attraction and repulsion to water.

Answer 2

Different parts of the molecule are hydrophilic (heads) and hydrophobic (tails). I believe its these forces working in conjuction that make a lipid bilayer. The heads face out toward the water, and the tails face inward away from it.

Answer 3

well, both forces are important, but in an aqueous environment, I'd say that the hydrophobic forces were a bit more important since the hydrophilic groups really don't care whether they're interacting with water, or another polar molecule (such as the head group next door).

Answer 4

Hydrophobic compounds are "forced" together because they are "hated" by everything else thus the "repulsive" forces are stronger.

Answer 5

both, heads are hydrophillic, tails are hydrophobic
Bilayer:

oooo}heads
I I I I}tails
I I I I}tails
oooo}heads

Answer 6

I don't know what drowning feels like - you'd have to ask my dad, that's how someone killed him. I really think I'd rather have a pet giraffe. Soul mates are overrated. My giraffe would be called Steve.

Answer 7

both. attraction to the "heads" and repulsion the the "tails". kk? neither one is stronger