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Quizzes > Science

Cell Membrane Transport Quiz: Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport

Quick, free cell transport quiz to check your understanding. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Sarath PremachandranUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting cell membrane transport for a fun trivia quiz

This cell membrane transport quiz helps you practice diffusion, osmosis, and active transport in minutes. After you finish, strengthen related concepts with the selective permeability quiz, build foundations with the cell structure and function quiz, and review parts of the cell with the cell organelles quiz.

Which process describes the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration without energy input?
Endocytosis
Simple diffusion
Facilitated diffusion
Active transport
Simple diffusion is the passive movement of molecules down their concentration gradient without the use of energy or transport proteins. It differs from facilitated diffusion because it does not require a protein channel or carrier. Active transport and endocytosis both require energy.
What is osmosis?
Movement of solute molecules down their concentration gradient
Active transport of water using ATP
Bulk transport of water in vesicles
Passive movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane
Osmosis is the passive diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane toward a region of higher solute concentration. It does not require energy and only involves water molecules. Bulk transport and active transport are different mechanisms.
Which statement best defines facilitated diffusion?
Endocytic uptake of large particles
Unassisted flow of gases across a membrane
Passive movement of molecules through a specific transport protein
Movement of solutes against their gradient using ATP
Facilitated diffusion is a passive transport process where specific transport proteins enable molecules to move down their concentration gradient. It does not use energy like active transport. Unassisted diffusion refers to simple diffusion without proteins.
Which type of transport requires direct input of cellular energy (ATP)?
Facilitated diffusion
Simple diffusion
Active transport
Osmosis
Active transport uses the direct hydrolysis of ATP to move molecules against their concentration gradients. Simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and osmosis are all passive processes that do not require energy input.
If the concentration of a solute is higher outside the cell than inside, in what direction will passive diffusion move the solute?
Out of the cell
Into the cell
It depends on ATP availability
No net movement
Passive diffusion moves solutes down their concentration gradient from higher to lower concentration, so the solute will move into the cell. No energy is required, and movement is not influenced by ATP in passive processes.
Which of the following factors will increase the rate of simple diffusion through a lipid bilayer?
Decreasing membrane surface area
Increasing membrane thickness
Decreasing temperature
Increasing concentration gradient
An increased concentration gradient enhances the driving force for diffusion, raising the diffusion rate. Larger surface area also helps, but only concentration gradient is listed correctly. Increasing thickness or lowering temperature slows diffusion.
A membrane protein that alternates between two conformations to transport solute down its gradient exhibits which feature?
Endocytosis
Channel-mediated diffusion
Carrier-mediated facilitated diffusion
Primary active transport
Carrier-mediated facilitated diffusion involves a transport protein that changes shape to move solutes down a gradient without using energy. Channel proteins do not change shape and primary active transport uses ATP.
Which scenario exemplifies secondary active transport?
Water moving via aquaporins
Na+/K+ ATPase pumping ions using ATP
Ions flowing through an ion channel down their gradient
Glucose moving into cell coupled with Na+ down its gradient
Secondary active transport uses the energy of one solute moving down its gradient (Na+) to transport another solute (glucose) against its gradient. The Na+/K+ ATPase is primary active transport because it directly uses ATP.
If a red blood cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, what happens to the cell?
It crenates (shrinks)
It swells
It remains unchanged
It lyses
In a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell toward the higher solute concentration, causing the cell to shrink or crenate. Swelling and lysis occur in hypotonic solutions.
Which gradient combination makes an ion most likely to enter a cell passively?
Low outside, positive inside
High outside, negative inside
High inside, negative inside
High inside, positive inside
An ion will passively enter a cell if its concentration is higher outside and the inside is negatively charged, attracting positively charged ions. Both concentration and electrical gradients contribute to this movement.
Which type of transport protein exhibits saturation kinetics as solute concentration increases?
Carrier protein
Simple diffusion
Channel protein
Lipid bilayer
Carrier proteins can become saturated at high solute concentrations because they have a finite number of binding sites, leading to a maximum transport rate. Channels and lipid bilayers do not saturate in the same way.
Aquaporins affect water movement by which mechanism?
Binding water molecules in cytosol
Forming channels to increase water permeability
Facilitating active transport
Increasing osmotic gradient
Aquaporins are channel proteins that selectively allow rapid water passage across membranes, increasing water permeability. They do not change the osmotic gradient or bind water in the cytosol.
Which statement about the Na+/K+ pump is correct?
It moves 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in per ATP
It operates without ATP
It moves 2 Na+ out and 3 K+ in per ATP
It moves both ions down their gradients
The Na+/K+ ATPase expends one ATP to export 3 Na+ ions and import 2 K+ ions against their concentration gradients. This is primary active transport requiring ATP.
During osmosis, water moves toward the solution with:
Higher pressure only
Equal solute concentration
Lower solute concentration
Higher solute concentration
Water moves by osmosis toward the region of higher solute concentration to equalize solute levels across the membrane. This movement can also generate osmotic pressure.
In which condition would simple diffusion of O2 across a membrane be fastest?
Thick membrane, low concentration gradient
Thick membrane, high gradient
Thin membrane, high concentration gradient
Thin membrane, zero gradient
Simple diffusion rate increases with a thin membrane and a large concentration gradient because fewer barriers slow down the molecular movement. A zero gradient would halt net diffusion.
Which process best describes the function of the sodium-glucose symporter?
Secondary active transport using Na+ gradient
Uniport passive diffusion
Facilitated diffusion of glucose only
Primary active transport using ATP
The sodium-glucose symporter uses the sodium gradient established by the Na+/K+ ATPase to co-transport glucose into the cell against its gradient. This is secondary active transport, not direct ATP usage.
At the chloride equilibrium potential, what is the net movement of Cl- across the membrane?
No net movement
Net influx
Continuous inward movement
Net efflux
At the equilibrium potential for Cl-, the electrical and concentration gradients are balanced, resulting in no net movement of Cl- across the membrane. Individual ions may still move but fluxes are equal.
Two carriers show different kinetics: Carrier A has Km of 0.5 mM, Carrier B has Km of 2 mM. Which has higher affinity for its substrate?
Both have equal affinity
Affinity cannot be determined from Km
Carrier B
Carrier A
A lower Km indicates the carrier reaches half-maximal transport rate at a lower substrate concentration, reflecting higher affinity for the substrate. Therefore, Carrier A has the higher affinity.
Which characteristic distinguishes primary active transport from secondary active transport?
Involves symporters only
Use of ion gradients
Use of direct ATP hydrolysis
Movement of molecules down gradient
Primary active transport uses ATP directly to move solutes against their gradients. Secondary active transport relies on the energy stored in an existing ion gradient, not ATP directly.
The electrogenic Na+/K+ pump transports 3 Na+ out for every 2 K+ in. What net electrical effect does this have on the cell interior per cycle?
Net positive charge leaves
No net charge movement
Net negative charge leaves
Net positive charge enters
Each cycle exports three positively charged Na+ ions while importing only two K+ ions, resulting in a net export of one positive charge. This contributes to the negative resting membrane potential.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse concentration gradients driving membrane transport
  2. Identify passive versus active transport mechanisms
  3. Differentiate diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion
  4. Evaluate the role of transport proteins
  5. Apply concepts to predict solute movement
  6. Interpret transport rate data effectively

Cheat Sheet

  1. Concentration Gradients - Imagine party guests spreading out from a packed room into every corner until things even out; molecules do the same from high to low concentration until equilibrium is reached. This natural process, called diffusion, powers oxygen into cells and carbon dioxide out. Membrane Transport Basics
  2. Passive vs Active Transport - Passive transport (diffusion and osmosis) rides the concentration wave without consuming energy, while active transport uses ATP like a motorboat to paddle molecules against the current. A classic example is the sodium-potassium pump that keeps nerve cells firing correctly. NCBI Transport Mechanisms
  3. Transport Proteins - Think of carrier and channel proteins as bouncers at a club entrance, only letting the right guests through the cell membrane. These helpers speed up facilitated diffusion, such as glucose transporters shuttling sugar into your cells for energy. Facilitated Transport on NCBI
  4. Osmosis - Osmosis is like water finding the lowest spot in a playground - it moves across a semipermeable membrane from high to low water concentration to balance things out. This is crucial for maintaining plant cell turgor and keeping our cells hydrated. Osmosis Explained
  5. Facilitated Diffusion - For molecules that can't slip through the lipid bilayer, special transmembrane proteins open the door and let them in without any energy fee. A great example is GLUT proteins ushering glucose into cells to fuel all your fun activities. Facilitated Diffusion Wiki
  6. Sodium-Potassium Pump - This active transport superstar kicks three sodium ions out of the cell and pulls two potassium ions in, all powered by ATP. It's the reason your nerves can send rapid-fire signals and your muscles can contract. Sodium-Potassium Pump Details
  7. Secondary Active Transport - Secondary transport is like a buddy system: one molecule zooms downhill down its gradient and gives a lift to another going uphill. The sodium-glucose symporter in your intestine uses this trick to help you absorb that sweet snack. Co-Transport Mechanisms
  8. Membrane Permeability - The lipid bilayer is a picky bouncer: small non-polar molecules slip through easily while ions and large polar guests need an invite from transport proteins. This selectivity is key to keeping a stable internal environment. Permeability on NCBI
  9. Temperature and Diffusion - Turn up the heat and molecules gain kinetic energy, zipping around faster and bumping into each other more often, which speeds up diffusion. That's why cold-blooded critters slow down in chilly weather and why lab experiments often control temperature carefully. Diffusion & Temperature
  10. Endocytosis & Exocytosis - When cells need to swallow big chunks or spit out waste, they wrap materials in membrane bubbles - endocytosis in and exocytosis out. White blood cells use endocytosis to gobble up pathogens and keep you healthy. Vesicle Transport
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