Transport: Passive vs Active

Front

What is passive transport?

Back

Passive transport is the movement of molecules across a cell membrane without the use of energy. It occurs naturally and relies on the concentration gradient.

Front

What is active transport?

Back

Active transport is the movement of molecules across a cell membrane using energy, usually against the concentration gradient.

Front

What is diffusion?

Back

Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Front

What is osmosis?

Back

Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Front

What does it mean when a solution is isotonic?

Back

An isotonic solution has the same concentration of solutes as another solution, resulting in no net movement of water across the membrane.

Front

What is the main difference between passive and active transport?

Back

The main difference is that passive transport does not require energy, while active transport does.

Front

What is a concentration gradient?

Back

A concentration gradient is the difference in the concentration of a substance across a space, which drives the movement of molecules.

Front

What role do proteins play in active transport?

Back

Proteins, often called pumps, help move substances across the cell membrane against their concentration gradient using energy.

Front

What is facilitated diffusion?

Back

Facilitated diffusion is a type of passive transport that uses transport proteins to help move molecules across the cell membrane.

Front

What is an example of active transport?

Back

An example of active transport is the sodium-potassium pump, which moves sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell.