Table of Contents
What is the process of moving substances over the cell membrane?
Diffusion is a passive process of transport. A single substance tends to move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until the concentration is equal across a space. Materials move within the cell ‘s cytosol by diffusion, and certain materials move through the plasma membrane by diffusion.
What is it called when things pass through the cell membrane?
Diffusion is the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of lower concentration. There are different types of diffusion: simple in which the molecule passes directly through the phospholipid bilayer and facilitated which uses the integral membrane proteins as channels.
What is it called when energy is needed to move materials through a cell membrane?
During active transport, substances move against the concentration gradient, from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration. This process is “active” because it requires the use of energy (usually in the form of ATP). It is the opposite of passive transport.
What is the movement of molecules across the cell membrane called?
If the substances can move across the cell membrane without the cell expending energy, the movement of molecules is called passive transport. Consider substances that can easily diffuse through the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane, such as the gases oxygen (O 2) and carbon dioxide (CO 2).
What causes molecules to pass through the plasma membrane?
Figure 3.1.3 – Simple Diffusion Across the Cell (Plasma) Membrane: The structure of the lipid bilayer allows small, uncharged substances such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, and hydrophobic molecules such as lipids, to pass through the cell membrane, down their concentration gradient, by simple diffusion.
How are molecules transported into and out of a cell?
Molecules can move into or out of cells by diffusion and active transport. Cells can gain or lose water by osmosis. All cells are enclosed by a cell membrane. This structure has two layers, and is represented in the diagram below.
How is ATP required to move a substance across the membrane?
During primary active transport, ATP is required to move a substance across a membrane, with the help of membrane protein, and against its concentration gradient. One of the most common types of active transport involves proteins that serve as pumps.