Which organic molecule has long hydrocarbon chains and is a major element of cell membranes?

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The question asks: Which organic molecule has long hydrocarbon chains and is a major element of cell membranes?
Option 1: Phospholipids. This choice aligns with the description because phospholipids have two long hydrocarbon (fatty acid) chains and a phosphate-containing head group, forming the fundamental structural component of cellular membranes with a hydrophobic tail region and a hydrophilic head.
Option 2: Polypeptides. These are chains of amino acids and are primarily involved in forming proteins. They do not typically feature long hydrocarbon tails as a defining structural element of cell membranes; their role is more about catalysis, signaling, and structural support within and outside membranes.
Option 3: Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugars and their polymers (like starch, glycogen, cellulose) are generally hydrophilic and hydrogen-bonded networks. They do not possess long hydrocarbon chains and are not the main membrane-structuring components, though some membrane lipids and glycoproteins can have carbohydrate groups attached.
Option 4: Nucleotides. Nucleotides are the monomers of nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) and serve as energy carriers (ATP) or signaling molecules. They do not feature long hydrophobic hydrocarbon tails and are not major constituents of the lipid bilayer in membranes.
In summary, the key feature described—long hydrocarbon chains forming the membrane's hydrophobic core—is characteristic of lipids, specifically phospholipids, which arrange into bilayers that make up cell membranes. The other options represent other biomolecule classes (proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids) whose primary roles and structures do not include those distinctive long hydrocarbon chains central to membrane architecture.

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Which organic molecule has long hydrocarbon chains and is a major element of cell membranes?

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HSK-1汉语学习 基础评估测验

Which organic molecule has long hydrocarbon chains and is a major element of cell membranes?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

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脂质是天然存在的分子，其定义特征是易溶于非极性溶剂而难溶于水性溶剂。以下分子属于哪种类型的脂质？

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HSK-1汉语学习基础评估测验