Question 1 Medium
Active transport moves particles from a low concentration to a high concentration. Is this with or against the concentration gradient?
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Answer: against
- The particles move uphill.
- This is against the gradient.
Active transport: GCSE Combined Science Biology practice questions
A second set of questions on active transport. They are different from the ones on the topic page. Try each, then open the answer and compare your working.
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Question 2 Medium
Which organelle in a cell releases energy by respiration?
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Answer: mitochondria
- Respiration happens here.
- The organelle is the mitochondrion.
Question 3 Medium
Name the gas that root cells need so that they can respire and release energy for active transport.
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Answer: oxygen
- Aerobic respiration uses oxygen.
- So the root cells need oxygen.
Question 4 Medium
Which substance do plants take in as nitrate ions to help them make proteins?
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Answer: nitrate
- The question names the ion.
- Plants take in nitrate from the soil.
Question 5 Hard
Waterlogged soil has little oxygen. Does active transport in root cells increase or decrease?
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Answer: decrease
- Less oxygen means less respiration.
- So less energy is available and active transport falls.
Question 6 Hard
After a meal the glucose concentration in the gut falls below that in the blood. Which process moves the remaining glucose into the blood?
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Answer: active transport
- The glucose must go against the gradient.
- This is active transport.
Question 7 Hard
A cell treated with a poison that stops respiration takes in fewer mineral ions. Which process is affected?
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Answer: active transport
- Without respiration there is no energy.
- So active transport is reduced.
Question 8 Hard
Which of diffusion, osmosis and active transport needs a supply of energy from the cell?
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Answer: active transport
- Diffusion and osmosis are passive.
- Only active transport needs energy.
Quick checks
Short questions with options. Choose one before you open the answer.
Check 1
What is active transport?
Show answer
The movement of substances from a more dilute to a more concentrated solution, against a gradient, using energy.
Check 2
Where does the energy for active transport come from?
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Respiration.
Check 3
What do cells use to carry out active transport?
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Carrier proteins in the cell membrane.
Check 4
Is diffusion active or passive?
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Passive.
Check 5
Is osmosis active or passive?
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Passive.
Check 6
Why do cells that do active transport have many mitochondria?
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To release lots of energy by aerobic respiration.
Check 7
Which ions do root hair cells take in by active transport?
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Mineral ions such as nitrate.
Check 8
Why do plants need nitrate ions?
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To make proteins.
Check 9
Why is active transport needed to take in ions from the soil?
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The soil has a lower concentration of ions than the root hair cell.
Check 10
When is glucose absorbed in the gut by active transport?
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When the concentration of glucose in the gut is lower than in the blood.
Check 11
What effect does lack of oxygen have on active transport?
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It falls, because less energy is released by respiration.
Check 12
What is the direction of movement in active transport?
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From a low concentration to a high concentration.
Check 13
What is the direction of movement in diffusion?
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From a high concentration to a low concentration.
Check 14
Which of diffusion, osmosis and active transport moves only water?
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Osmosis.
Check 15
Which of the three processes can move substances against the gradient?
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Active transport.
Check 16
Why does waterlogged soil reduce mineral uptake?
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There is less oxygen, so less respiration and less energy for active transport.
Check 17
What does against the concentration gradient mean?
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Moving from a low concentration to a high concentration.
Check 18
Why does active transport need energy?
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It moves particles uphill, against the gradient, so the cell must do work.
Check 19
What do carrier proteins do in active transport?
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They pick up a particle on one side of the membrane and release it on the other side.
Check 20
What does a mineral ion mean?
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A tiny charged particle, such as nitrate, that a plant needs from the soil.
Check 21
What are root hair cells?
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Cells on a root that reach out into the soil to take in water and mineral ions.
Check 22
Which parts of the cell release the energy used in respiration?
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Mitochondria.
Check 23
Which of the three processes is the only active one?
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Active transport.
Check 24
What happens to glucose in the gut after the gradient falls?
Show answer
It is taken into the blood by active transport.
Keep going with Active transport
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