Detergents and Solvents

Question 1

What are detergents?

Answer 1

• Amphiathic molecules
• They have a charged/polar head, hydrophobic portion, ONE hydrophobic tail which gives them a cone shape.

Question 2

CONE SHAPE

Answer 2

• Due to their cone shape, they tend to form spherical structures, called micelles.

Question 3

MICELLES

Answer 3

• When micelles come into contact with the phospholipid the hydrophobic tails are attracted to the hydrophobic tails of the phospholipids binding them together.
• Detergent molecules wedge themselves into the phospholipid bilayer disrupting the membrane

Question 4

DETERGENTS - High concentration

Answer 4

• The detergent molecules will break dissolve the membrane completely by incorporating the phospholipids and even membrane-bound proteins into micelles.