Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An electrochemical gradient refers to the combined concentration and electrical gradient across a cell membrane, which determines the direction in which ions move.
Active transport is a type of membrane transport that requires energy expenditure by the cell to move substances against their electrochemical gradients.
Diffusion is a passive process where particles move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, down their electrochemical gradient.
Facilitated diffusion is a type of passive transport that uses specific carrier proteins or channel proteins to allow substances to move down their electrochemical gradients.