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Lipids Are Confusing Me (Biology help needed)!!!

So ive read in one book that phospholipids are polar but ive read else where that they are not. The book i read that they are phospholipids in is the aqa book ( my spec).

So which one is right?? And can someone explain why??

Thanks!

Reply 1

SANTR

Original post by TSR778899

Phospholipids are polar moleculesdue to the presence of the hydrophillic phosphate heads.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

TSR778899

Original post by SANTR

Phospholipids are polar moleculesdue to the presence of the hydrophillic phosphate heads.

so polar doesn't always mean an imbalance of charge??

Reply 3

SANTR

Original post by TSR778899

so polar doesn't always mean an imbalance of charge??

Polarity arises when there is a difference in the electronegativites of atoms.

Reply 4

Reality Check

As Santr says - polarity arise through a unequal distribution of negative charge caused by bonded atoms having different electronegativities. Phospholipids have an uncharged, aliphatic tail but a large, negatively-charged polar 'head'.