Active Transport
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 1.3.10
Active Transport in Humans and Plants
Active transport is important in many contexts.
Sugar absorption in human gut
- Active transport allows sugar molecules, which are needed for cell respiration, to be absorbed from the gut and into the blood from the gut, even when the sugar concentration of the blood is higher.
Mineral absorption in plants
- Active transport in the root hairs of plants means that plants are able to absorb mineral ions that are necessary for healthy growth, even though the concentration of minerals is usually lower in the soil than in the root hair.
Test yourself on Active Transport
Why can root hair cells absorb mineral ions from the soil, even when the soil has a lower concentration of minerals than the root hair cell?
Why is it important for a plant to absorb mineral ions through active transport in its root hairs?
Select the true statement in each pair
What do active transport in plant root hairs and in the human gut have in common?
What would most likely happen to a plant's growth if its root hairs could only absorb minerals by diffusion?