Phospholipid

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/phospholipid

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Phospholipid?1847
2. What is the discoverer?Theodore Nicolas Gobley
3. What is the first identified phospholipid?Lecithin (phosphatidylcholine)
4. What are phospholipids and why do we need them?Phospholipids are tiny molecules that have a water‑friendly head and two water‑repelling tails. They build the walls of every cell, keeping the inside and outside separate and flexible.
5. How do phospholipids create a cell membrane?When phospholipids meet water, they line up so the heads face the water and the tails tuck in. This forms a double‑layer that acts like a flexible barrier around the cell.

Amphipathic: Possessing both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) properties, characteristic of phospholipids.
Lipid Bilayer: The fundamental structure of cell membranes, composed of two layers of phospholipid molecules.
Blood-Brain Barrier: A highly selective semipermeable border of endothelial cells that prevents molecules from diffusing into the central nervous system.
Neurotransmitter Synthesis: The process by which chemical messengers like acetylcholine are created within neurons.