What Active Transport | Browser |

In biology, cells must constantly move substances across their membranes to maintain life. Some substances move passively, like rolling downhill. However, cells often need to move substances in the opposite direction—from a low concentration to a high concentration. This process is called . Think of it as pushing a ball uphill; it requires energy.

Antiport (move opposite directions) – Sodium-calcium exchanger. | what active transport

| Feature | Active Transport | Passive Transport (Diffusion/Osmosis) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Direction | Low → High (against gradient) | High → Low (down gradient) | | Energy Required | Yes (ATP) | No | | Protein Carriers | Yes (pumps) | Maybe (channels or carriers for facilitated diffusion) | | Equilibrium | Creates or maintains disequilibrium | Reaches equilibrium | In biology, cells must constantly move substances across