Movement in Cells – Revise

Revise

Active Transport

Active transport is the final method of how particles move that you need to know.

Surprise, surprise, you should be familiar with your this text-book definition.

Active transport is the movement of particles from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration. This is against the concentration gradient. This process requires energy.

So basically it is the opposite of diffusion and requires energy.

Active Transport
Particles are moving from an area of low concentration, left, to an area of high concentration, right, so this is against the concentration gradient but with the help of a little energy

So where does active transport take place?

Plants need various nutrients to survive, some might move over by diffusion but the plant will want every little molecule it can get. They will move into the root hair cells by being actively transported, using energy.

Root Hair Cell and Active Transport
Molecules moving into the root hair cell to be taken up and used. There is a higher concentration of the molecules inside the cell so they move in by active transport. Energy is needed for this.

This is also true in your own gut. Your body will want to absorb as much of the nutrients as possible, so as the concentration decreases in the gut active transport is needed to go against the concentration gradient.

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