Phospholipids have the property of detergency This is due pr

Phospholipids have the property of detergency. This is due primarily to Question 9 options: A. polar head groups. B. a hydrocarbon tail. C. an amphipathic nature. D. solubility

Solution

Detergents are amphipathic in nature. The meaning of amphipathic is that the molecule have both the polar (head) and the non polar (tail) groups. These kind of molecules aggregate and form micelles (a spherical with polar head outside and nonpolar tail inside) as soon as they are subjected to water. The long hydrophobic chain from the micelles reacts with the insoluble dirt such as oil while the polar heads surround the nonpolar dirt. Now this micelles can be washed off easily as the outside of them are soluble with solvent.

In biology, Same mechanism of micelles is used with the human body to absorb lipid and fat soluble vitamins, and remove protiens from them without affecting their structure. Phospholipids have the property of detergency mainly due to its amphipathic nature which forms the micelles as discussed above.

Answer of the question will be : C. an amphipathic nature.