Question #832fa

1 Answer
Sep 19, 2017

Active transport is useful because it allows organisms to store/accumulate substances in higher concentrations than their

Explanation:

Acitve transport has many functions:

  • It allows the cell to store nutrients, like glucose, within the cell in higher concentrations than the outside of the cell. This is useful because this removes the need for the surrounding to contain the same concentration (so less is needed to sate the cells appetite)
  • Cells can create differences in charge between the intercellular fluid and the extracellular fluid. This principle allows our nerves to communicate. K+ ions are present in high concentrations within the cell, whilst Na+ are present in lower concentrations. The cell pumps K+ from the lower surrounding into the higher environment of the cell, whilst removing Na+ (ratio 2 in, 3 out). The communnications trhough our nerves would be impossible without active transport, as the ions "want" to reach an equilibrium on both sides
  • Active transport allows larger/charged molecules to pass over the membranes