Cell Transport

Plasma Membrane

The cell boundary that controls what enters and leaves the cell.

Passive Transport

The movement of substances across a cell membrane without the use of energy.

Active Transport

The movement of substances across a cell membrane using energy.

Diffusion

The net movement of particles from an area of greater concentration to an area of lesser concentration.

Osmosis

The specific type of diffusion involving the passage of water through a semi-permeable membrane.

Concentration Gradient

The difference in the concentration of a substance from one location to another.

Equilibrium

A state in which the concentrations of a substance are equal on both sides of a membrane.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution with a higher solute concentration than another, leading to water moving out of the cell.

Isotonic Solution

A solution with equal solute concentration, resulting in no net movement of water.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution with a lower solute concentration than another, causing water to move into the cell.

Facilitated Diffusion

Diffusion that requires assistance from transport proteins to move substances across the membrane.

Transport Proteins

Proteins in a cell membrane that help move substances across the membrane.

Channel Proteins

Proteins that form pores in the membrane, allowing specific substances to pass through.

Carrier Proteins

Proteins that bind with specific molecules to help them cross the membrane.

Solvent

A substance that dissolves a solute, forming a solution.

Solute

The substance dissolved in a solvent to form a solution.