AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cell membranes serve as barriers and gatekeepers. They are semi-permeable, which means that some molecules can diffuse across the lipid bilayer but others cannot. Small hydrophobic molecules and gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide cross membranes rapidly.

Detailed explanation-2: -3 – Simple Diffusion Across the Cell (Plasma) Membrane: The structure of the lipid bilayer allows small, uncharged substances such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, and hydrophobic molecules such as lipids, to pass through the cell membrane, down their concentration gradient, by simple diffusion.

Detailed explanation-3: -Permeability of phospholipid bilayers. Small uncharged molecules can diffuse freely through a phospholipid bilayer. However, the bilayer is impermeable to larger polar molecules (such as glucose and amino acids) and to ions.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Classical Concept: Lipid Bilayers and Cell Membranes are Extremely Permeable to Gases.

Detailed explanation-5: -Proteins cannot passively diffuse across the cell membrane due to their size and polarity.