The major contribution to the favorable free energy of self-association of phospholipids in aqueous media is

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hydrophobic free energy of phospholipids is the major contribution to their favorable self-association in aqueous media. This is because the hydrophobic tails of phospholipids are repelled by water molecules and therefore, they tend to associate with each other to minimize their exposure to water. This results in the formation of lipid bilayers or micelles, which are energetically favorable configurations for phospholipids in water. Ion-pair formation, electrostatic repulsion, and charge-transfer interactions may also contribute to the self-association of phospholipids but are not the primary driving force.

The Major Contribution to the Favorable Free Energy of Self-Association