[Answer] Which of the following is a reasonable explanation for why unsaturated fatty acids help keep a membrane more fluid at lower temperatures?

Answer: The double bonds form kinks in the fatty acid tails preventing adjacent lipids from packing tightly.

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Which of the following is a reasonable explanation for why unsaturated fatty acids help keep a membrane more fluid at lower temperatures? In biology membrane fluidity refers to the viscosity of the lipid bilayer of a cell membrane or a synthetic lipid membrane. Lipid packing can influence the fluidity of the membrane. Viscosity of the membrane can affect the rotation and diffusion of proteins and other bio-molecules within the membrane there-by affecting the functions of these things. Membrane fluidity is affected by fatty acids. More specifi… In biology membrane fluidity refers to the viscosity of the lipid bilayer of a cell membrane or a synthetic lipid membrane. Lipid packing can influence the fluidity of the membrane. Viscosity of the membrane can affect the rotation and diffusion of proteins and other bio-molecules within the membrane there-by affecting the functions of these things. Membrane fluidity is affected by fatty acids. More specifically whether the fatty acids are saturated or unsaturated has an effect on membrane fluidity. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain and the maximum amount of hydrogen. The absence of double bonds decreases fluidity making the membrane very strong and stacked tightly. Unsaturated fatty acids have at least one double bond creating a "kink" in the chain. The double bond increases fluidity. Membrane fluidity is also affected by cholesterol. Cholesterol can make the cell membrane fluid as well as rigid. Membrane fluidity can be affected by a number of factors. One way to increase membrane fluidity is to heat up the membrane. Lipids acquire thermal energy when they are heated up; energetic lipids move around more arranging and rearranging randomly making the membrane more fluid. At low temperatures the lipids are laterally ordered and organized in the membrane and the lipid cha… Membrane fluidity can be affected by a number of factors. One way to increase membrane fluidity is to heat up the membrane. Lipids acquire thermal energy when they are heated up; energetic lipids move around more arranging and rearranging randomly making the membrane more fluid. At low temperatures the lipids are laterally ordered and organized in the membrane and the lipid chains are mostly in the all-trans configuration and pack well together. The melting temperature ${\displaystyle T_{m}}$ of a membrane is defined as the temperature across which the membrane transitions from a crystal-like to a fluid-like organization or viceversa. This phase transition is not an actual state transition but the two levels of organizations are very similar to a solid and liquid state. • ${\displaystyle TT_{m}}$: The membrane is in the liquid-crystal phase the membrane is less ordered and more fluid. At 37°C this is the state of the membrane: the presence of cholesterol though allows for the membrane stabilization and a more compact organization. The composition of a membrane can also affect its fluidity. The membrane phospholipids incorporate fatty acids of varying length and saturation . Lipids with shorter chains are...

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