Active Transport

Question 1

Roughly how many microscopic hairs are on each branch of a root?

Answer 1

Millions

Question 2

How does having so many hair cells help plants?

Answer 2

The larger surface area allows for more water and minerals to be absorbed at a time.

Question 3

Is the concentration of minerals normally higher in root hair cells or the soil around them?

Answer 3

In the root hair cell, the concentration is higher.

Question 4

What process stops minerals from moving out of the root hair cell if the surrounding area is less concentrated?

Answer 4

Active transport

Question 5

How does active transport help root hair cells to retain minerals?

Answer 5

It allows the plant to absorb minerals from a very dilute solution against the concentration gradient

Question 6

What does active transport need in order to function?

Answer 6

Energy from respiration.

Question 7

What is an example of active transport in humans?

Answer 7

Active transport is used in the gut when there is a lower concentration of nutrients in the gut but a higher concentration of nutrients in the blood.

Question 8

In what situation relating to the gut is the concentration gradient, the wrong way?

Answer 8

When there’s more concentration of glucose in the blood than in the gut. For the diffusion to be natural, there should be a lower concentration in the blood. How ever in this situation the concentration gradient is the wrong way around.

Question 9

What does active transport allow?

Answer 9

It allows diffusion despite the concentration gradient being the wrong way around.