Ateam of biologists develop a new drug, and one team member hypothesizes that the drug is incapable of freely passing across the plasma membrane and requires the of membrane proteins to enter cells. alternatively, another biologist on the team hypothesizes that the drug can diffuse passively across the plasma membrane like oxygen and carbon dioxide can.
which of the following, if true about the drug, best supports the alternative hypothesis that the new drug will exhibit simple diffusion across plasma membranes?
a. the drug is a small nonpolar molecule.
b. the drug is a small charged molecule.
c. the drug is a large polar molecule.
d. the drug is a large charged molecule.

The statement best supports the alternative hypothesis that the new drug will exhibit simple diffusion across plasma membranes is "the drug is a small non-polar molecule".

SIMPLE DIFFUSION:

Simple diffusion is a kind of transport in which molecules move down a concentration gradient i.e. from region of high concentration to region of low concentration. Simple diffusion across a membrane is applicable to only small and non-polar molecules like oxygen, carbon dioxide etc. as the plasma membrane is permeable to them. According to this question, two scientists hypothesizes concerning a particular drug. The first biologist hypothesizes that the drug requires membrane proteins to enter the cell while the second biologist alternatively hypothesizes that the drug can enter the cell via simple diffusion. This means that for the hypothesis of the second biologist to be true, the drug must be a small non-polar molecule in order to diffuse into the cell.

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