Cell Membrane Transport and Cellular Energy

Vocabulary flashcards covering cellular membrane transport mechanisms, including passive transport, osmosis, tonicity, active transport, and electrogenesis.

Passive transport and diffusion

A process requiring zero energy in which molecules naturally move down a concentration gradient from high to low concentration.

Human cornea

A structure lacking blood vessels that functions as a semi-permeable membrane, passively diffusing oxygen from the $21\%$ oxygen atmosphere directly into the $15\%$ oxygen cornea.

Osmosis

The passive transport of water, where water moves to chase solutes such as salt to reach equilibrium.

Hypertonic solution

A solution that causes water to flow out of a cell to dilute surrounding solutes, resulting in cell shrinkage.

Hypotonic solution

A solution that causes water to enter a cell, making the cell swell.

Isotonic solution

A solution that maintains equal solute balance, keeping the cell balanced.

Active transport

The movement of materials against the concentration gradient from low to high, strictly requiring cellular energy or ATP.

Sodium-potassium pump

An active transport mechanism that moves ions to build an electrochemical gradient, used by organisms like electric eels.

Electrogenesis

The biological production of electricity, demonstrated by electric eels using ATP-powered sodium-potassium pumps to shock prey and predators.