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Card 10 / 18:
Why do phospholipids tend to spontaneously orient themselves into something resembling a membrane?
The hydrophobic, nonpolar regions must align with each other in order for the structure to have minimal potential energy and, consequently, higher stability. The fatty acid tails of the phospholipids cannot mix with water, but the phosphate “head” of the molecule can. Thus, the head orients to water, and the tail to other lipids.
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