Did I misread this answer choice?

[JSU]

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On TBR test 6 it asks how we can distinguish between a single lipid layer vs. a double one.

The answer choice in question says that "When the membrane is flattened out into a one-dimensional monolayer, its surface area is twice as large as the membrane in its cellular form.". However, if it is spread into a true one dimensional monolayer where the lipids are side by side instead of verticle, shouldnt the surface area be much greater than a standard bilayer?

 

[lorenzomicron]

not really.
because we're considering surface area.
if the double layer was a surface area of A.
then the volume is proportial to h=2.
if we make this height equal to h=1, the surface area will be doubled.

i know what you mean, if the 3-d shape were taken into account much more surface area would be expected. but i think it's just an approximate conservation of the surface area