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Quizzes > Science

Active Transport Mechanisms Quiz: Types and Functions

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

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Madison TaylorUpdated Aug 25, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for cell transport quiz on dark blue background

This active transport mechanisms quiz helps you check how cells move substances against the concentration gradient using ATP-powered pumps and vesicles. For a wider review of diffusion, osmosis, and channels, take the cell membrane transport quiz, then test membrane rules with a selective permeability quiz.

What process describes the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane?
Active transport
Endocytosis
Facilitated diffusion
Osmosis
Osmosis is the passive movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. It does not require cellular energy and equilibrates solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane. This process is fundamental to cell water balance and turgor pressure in plants. .
Passive transport requires ____ energy from the cell.
High
No
Small
External
Passive transport moves molecules down their concentration gradient without the direct expenditure of cellular ATP. Processes such as simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and osmosis rely solely on kinetic energy of molecules. Because no energy input is needed, cells can conserve resources. .
Which of these molecules is most likely to pass through the lipid bilayer by simple diffusion?
Protein
Glucose
Sodium ion (Na+)
Oxygen (O2)
Small nonpolar molecules like O? can diffuse directly through the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer without assistance. Polar molecules and ions require protein channels or carriers. Glucose, sodium ions, and proteins cannot cross the membrane by simple diffusion due to their size or charge. .
Facilitated diffusion differs from simple diffusion because it ____.
Requires direct ATP hydrolysis
Uses transport proteins to move molecules
Involves vesicle formation
Moves molecules against their gradient
Facilitated diffusion employs specific transmembrane proteins to help polar or charged molecules cross the membrane down their concentration gradient. It remains passive and does not require ATP. Simple diffusion, by contrast, occurs directly through the lipid bilayer without proteins. .
In passive transport, solutes move in which direction?
Only toward equilibrium potentials
Against their concentration gradient
From low to high water potential
Down their concentration gradient
Passive transport always moves solutes from regions of higher concentration to regions of lower concentration, following the concentration gradient. This process does not require cellular energy. It continues until equilibrium is reached. .
The sodium-potassium pump exchanges sodium and potassium ions at what ratio?
3 Na+ in, 2 K+ out
2 Na+ out, 3 K+ in
2 Na+ in, 3 K+ out
3 Na+ out, 2 K+ in
The Na+/K+ ATPase uses ATP to pump three sodium ions out of the cell and bring two potassium ions in each cycle. This activity establishes and maintains essential electrochemical gradients across the plasma membrane. It's critical for cell volume regulation and membrane potential. .
Secondary active transport uses the energy stored in which gradient?
Mechanical pressure gradient
Thermal gradient
Electrochemical gradient
pH gradient across vesicles only
Secondary active transport couples the downhill movement of one solute (e.g., Na+) with the uphill transport of another (e.g., glucose), using the electrochemical gradient as the energy source. It does not use ATP directly but relies on gradients established by primary active transporters. Many nutrient uptake systems function this way. .
Which endocytic pathway involves engulfing large solid particles?
Phagocytosis
Pinocytosis
Osmosis
Receptor-mediated exocytosis
Phagocytosis is a form of endocytosis where cells extend pseudopodia to engulf large particles or other cells into vesicles called phagosomes. It's used by immune cells like macrophages to clear pathogens and debris. Pinocytosis, by contrast, involves fluid uptake. .
Which type of membrane transport requires ATP directly?
Simple diffusion
Primary active transport
Osmosis
Facilitated diffusion
Primary active transporters, like the Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase, hydrolyze ATP to move solutes against their concentration gradients. Facilitated diffusion and osmosis are passive and do not use ATP directly. Simple diffusion also relies on concentration differences. .
Aquaporins facilitate the movement of which substance across cell membranes?
Glucose
Water
Ions
Proteins
Aquaporins are integral membrane proteins forming channels that specifically allow rapid water transport across the lipid bilayer without permitting ions or other solutes. They play crucial roles in kidney function, plant water regulation, and brain fluid homeostasis. Their selectivity filter prevents proton hopping. Aquaporin function.
Uniporters, symporters, and antiporters are all types of what?
Transport proteins
Phospholipids
Endosomal markers
Cytoskeletal filaments
Uniporters transport a single solute in one direction, symporters move two or more solutes in the same direction, and antiporters exchange solutes in opposite directions across the membrane. These classifications all refer to carrier proteins facilitating movement of molecules. Their mechanisms are essential for nutrient uptake and ion balance. .
In receptor-mediated endocytosis, which protein is responsible for shaping the vesicle coat?
COPI
Clathrin
Dynamin
Caveolin
Clathrin assembles into triskelion structures on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane to form coated pits, which invaginate and pinch off into vesicles. COPI coats are involved in Golgi-to-ER transport, and caveolin is linked to caveolae formation. Dynamin mediates scission of the coated pits. .
What term describes a solution with a lower solute concentration than the cell interior?
Hypotonic
Anisotonic
Hypertonic
Isotonic
A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration relative to the cytosol, causing water to flow into cells by osmosis. This can lead to cell swelling and potential lysis in extreme cases. Hypertonic solutions draw water out, while isotonic solutions maintain equilibrium. .
Which combination maintains the resting membrane potential in most animal cells?
Voltage-gated Na+ channels only
Na+/K+ pump and K+ leak channels
Proton pumps
Ligand-gated Cl - channels
The Na+/K+ ATPase actively extrudes three Na+ ions and imports two K+ ions, creating and sustaining ionic gradients. K+ leak channels allow K+ to flow down its gradient out of the cell, producing a negative interior. Together they set the resting membrane potential around - 70 mV. .
Proton pumps in the inner mitochondrial membrane primarily contribute to which process?
Generating an H+ gradient for ATP synthesis
Driving glycolysis
Protein folding in the matrix
Pumping electrons to the cytosol
Proton pumps (Complexes I, III, and IV) of the electron transport chain actively translocate protons from the mitochondrial matrix into the intermembrane space. This creates a proton-motive force used by ATP synthase to drive ATP production. The gradient is essential for oxidative phosphorylation. .
Which best describes the mechanism of action of ABC transporters?
They hydrolyze GTP to move molecules
They use an ATP-binding cassette to translocate substrates
They harness proton gradients for transport
They form reversible aqueous pores
ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters use the energy from ATP hydrolysis at their nucleotide-binding domains to change conformation and translocate diverse substrates across membranes. They play key roles in drug resistance and lipid transport. This mechanism differs from secondary transporters reliant on ion gradients. .
How does the sodium - calcium exchanger in cardiac muscle cells operate?
It uses ATP to pump Ca2+ out directly
It exchanges 3 Na+ in for 1 Ca2+ out
It exchanges 1 Na+ for 3 Ca2+ ions
It co-transports Na+ and Ca2+ into the cell
The cardiac Na?/Ca²? exchanger (NCX) uses the inward electrochemical gradient of three Na? ions to export one Ca²? ion, aiding in calcium homeostasis during cardiac muscle relaxation. This antiporter operates without direct ATP hydrolysis but depends on the Na? gradient set by the Na+/K+ ATPase. It's critical for proper cardiac contractility. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Cell Transport Mechanisms -

    Gain a clear overview of passive and active transport processes, including diffusion, osmosis, and energy-dependent pathways through cellular membranes.

  2. Differentiate Passive and Active Transport -

    Compare the characteristics of cellular transport that does not require energy with those that do, highlighting key molecular movements and energy usage.

  3. Identify Energy-Free Transport Examples -

    Recognize specific instances of cellular transport that occur without ATP, such as simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion across the cell membrane.

  4. Apply Transport Principles in Quiz Scenarios -

    Use your knowledge to tackle a variety of questions in the cell transport quiz, reinforcing your understanding through practical examples.

  5. Analyze Energy Pathways in Cellular Transport -

    Examine how different energy pathways drive active transport and understand their role in maintaining cellular homeostasis.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Passive Transport Fundamentals -

    Passive transport moves molecules down their concentration gradient without ATP, like O₂ diffusing into cells (Campbell Biology, Pearson). Use the mnemonic "Downhill = No Bill" to remember that diffusion requires no energy. This category is key for any cell transport quiz and includes simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and osmosis.

  2. Diffusion vs. Facilitated Diffusion -

    Simple diffusion occurs directly through the lipid bilayer, whereas facilitated diffusion uses specific carrier or channel proteins (Khan Academy). Remember Fick's law, J = PA(C₝ - C₂), to estimate net flux based on permeability (P), area (A), and concentration difference. GLUT transporters in red blood cells are a classic example you'll see on many cellular transport quizzes.

  3. Osmosis and Tonicity -

    Osmosis is water diffusion across a semipermeable membrane toward higher solute concentration; van 't Hoff's equation, π = iMRT, links osmotic pressure to solute molarity. Distinguish hypotonic (cell swelling), hypertonic (cell shrinking), and isotonic (balanced) environments for your biology cell transport review. Visualize a raisin plumping in water to lock in this concept.

  4. Active Transport Mechanisms -

    Primary active transport directly uses ATP, like the Na❺/K❺-ATPase pumping 3 Na❺ out and 2 K❺ in per ATP (NCBI). Secondary (cotransport) harnesses existing ion gradients - sodium-glucose symport is a classic example in the intestinal epithelium. Keep in mind "Pumps Need Power" to recall that these processes consume energy.

  5. Bulk Transport: Endo- and Exocytosis -

    Bulk transport shuttles large particles via membrane vesicles - phagocytosis ("cell eating") and pinocytosis ("cell drinking") are types of endocytosis, while exocytosis expels materials. Clathrin-mediated uptake is receptor-specific and appears often in advanced cell transportation quizzes. Drawing a cartoon of vesicle budding can cement this process in your mind.

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