Which part of phospholipid is hydrophobic?Group of answer choicesFatty acids tailsPhosphate groupGlycerol backboneCarbohydrate group

1. Break Down the Problem

To determine which part of a phospholipid is hydrophobic, we need to identify the components of a phospholipid and understand their properties.

2. Relevant Concepts

A phospholipid consists of a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head and hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails. We can outline the components as follows:

• Fatty acid tails: Long hydrocarbon chains
• Phosphate group: Charged part of the molecule that interacts with water
• Glycerol backbone: Connects the fatty acids to the phosphate group
• Carbohydrate group: Not typically found in all phospholipids, commonly associated with glycoproteins or glycolipids.

3. Analysis and Detail

• Fatty Acid Tails: Composed of long chains of carbon and hydrogen that do not interact well with water, thus they are hydrophobic.
• Phosphate Group: This part is polar and interacts favorably with water, making it hydrophilic.
• Glycerol Backbone: While it has some hydrophilic properties due to the presence of hydroxyl groups, it acts primarily as a structure.
• Carbohydrate Group: When present, they usually contribute to hydrophilicity but are not a part of all phospholipids.

4. Verify and Summarize

Given that the fatty acid tails repel water and form the hydrophobic region of the phospholipid, they are the answer to the question.

Final Answer

The hydrophobic part of the phospholipid is the fatty acid tails.