Modern scientists refer to the plasma membrane as the fluid mosaic model. A phospholipid bilayer comprises the plasma membrane, with hydrophobic, fatty acid tails in contact with each other.

The membrane's landscape is studded with proteins, some which span the membrane. The membrane's fluid nature is due to temperature, fatty acid tail configuration (some kinked by double bonds), cholesterol presence embedded in the membrane, and the mosaic nature of the proteins and…

fluid mosaic model — describes the plasma membrane's structure as a mosaic of components including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, glycoproteins, and glycolipids (sugar chains attached to…. membrane's fluid nature — due to temperature, fatty acid tail configuration (some kinked by double bonds), cholesterol presence embedded in the membrane, and the mosaic nature of the proteins and…. hydrophobic — molecule that does not have the ability to bond with water; “water-hating”. membrane's landscape — studded with proteins, some which span the membrane.