when there is a concentration gradient this means that course hero

by Ursula O'Reilly 10 min read

What is a concentration gradient?

A concentration gradient occurs when a solute is more concentrated in one area than another. A concentration gradient is alleviated through diffusion, though membranes can hinder diffusion and maintain a concentration gradient. “Concentration” refers to how much of a solute is in a given amount of solvent.

How do organisms use concentration gradients to accomplish sudden changes?

Organisms may also use concentration gradients to accomplish sudden changes or movements by releasing high concentrations of solute to move to low-concentration areas. Neurons are an example of cells that use high concentrations of solutes to accomplish rapid changes.

What would happen to the concentration gradient in a saltwater tank?

So, the concentration gradient above would eventually disappear as the ions of salt diffused throughout the entire tank. The laws of thermodynamics state that due to the constant movements of atoms and molecules, substances will move from areas of higher concentration to lower concentration, in order to produce a randomly distributed solution.

How do sub substances move against their concentration gradients?

Substances can only be moved against their concentration gradients by expending energy. In this case, cells break down glucose and expend huge amounts of ATP to make the sodium/potassium concentration gradient possible. In the process, they move the larger system toward randomness, in keeping with the laws of thermodynamics.

What is concentration gradient?

Definition. A concentration gradient occurs when a solute is more concentrated in one area than another. A concentration gradient is alleviated through diffusion, though membranes can hinder diffusion and maintain a concentration gradient.

How can substances be moved against concentration gradients?

A is correct. Substances can only be moved against their concentration gradients by expending energy. In this case, cells break down glucose and expend huge amounts of ATP to make the sodium/potassium concentration gradient possible. In the process, they move the larger system toward randomness, in keeping with the laws of thermodynamics.

Why do solutes move down the concentration gradient?

Over time, solutes always move down their concentration gradient to “try” to produce an equal concentration throughout the whole solution. So, the concentration gradient above would eventually disappear as the ions of salt diffused throughout the entire tank.

Why do cells have ion gates?

The sodium/potassium concentration differences are so strong that the ions “want” to instantly rush out of the cell. Because ions are electrically charged, this actually changes the electrical charge of the cell.

Why do cells use concentration gradients?

Concentration gradients are used by many cells to complete a wide variety of tasks. In fact, there is energy stored in a concentration gradient because the molecules want to reach equilibrium. So, this energy can be utilized to accomplish tasks.

How does water affect the concentration gradient?

So, the concentration gradient can be alleviated by adding water to a highly concentrated membrane compart ment (or cell ). Organisms that need to move a substance in or out of their cells may use the movement of one substance down its concentration gradient to transport ...

Why do substances move from higher concentrations to lower concentrations?

The laws of thermodynamics state that due to the constant movements of atoms and molecules, substances will move from areas of higher concentration to lower concentration, in order to produce a randomly distributed solution.

Answer

A concentration gradient is the difference in concentration of a substance from one location to another. A molecule diffuses down its concentration gradient by moving from one region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. Both are proteins and may work with only specific molecules. is this your anwser? if not ill paraphase

Answer

How spaced out all the molecules are. To diffuse down a concentration gradient is to reduce a number of molecules in an area

What happens to particles in passive transport?

In passive transport, particles will diffuse down a concentration gradient, from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration, until they are evenly spaced . This is the currently selected item.

Why do particles move away from each other?

As the particles are vibrating very fast, they are likely to bump into each other, this causes them to move away from each other, down, the concentration gradient.

What is immersion gradient?

Immersion gradient identifies this slow shift in the concentration of solutes in a way as a function of space using a solution. A solution, basically, has two main elements, the solvent (the dissolving part, e.g. water) and the solute (the contaminants which are dissolvable from the solvent).

What is immersion in biochemistry?

In biochemistry, immersion pertains to the quantity of a sub-component of a remedy, e.g. that the number of solutes in a solution. Gradient, consequently, is a phrase that generally describes the progressive growth or reduction of a factor concerning distance. In this aspect, a concentration gradient is an outcome once the quantities of solutes between two alternatives are different.

What is simple diffusion?

Simple diffusion is a sort of passive transport that doesn’t call for the help of transport proteins. Since the motion is downhill, i.e. in a place of higher concentration to an area of lesser concentration, a concentration gradient is sufficient to induce the procedure. A neutral net motion of particles will be attained when the concentration gradient has been still gone. That usually means that the balance between both regions is attained. The quantity of contamination or solutes in 1 place is very similar to that of another location.

Where does immersion come from?

The expression immersion comes in the term focus, by the French concentrer, from con– + center, meaning “to place in the center”.

Is concentration gradient a passive transport element?

Oftentimes, however, the concentration gradient isn’t a sufficient element in passive transportation. By way of instance, the existence of two distinct options on the outside surface of the cell could have two distinct levels in saturation and solubility. For example, small lipophilic molecules and nonpolar gas atoms can diffuse more easily through the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane compared to polar molecules, such as water.

What is concentration in chemistry?

Concentration of a chemical in a solution refers to how many of the chemical's molecules are sitting in a small volume of the solution. Concentration could be measured in molecules per liter, although molecules are so small compared to a liter that we usually use different units (just like we wouldn't want to measure the distance between the earth and the sun in inches). A gradient is a measurement of how much something changes as you move from one region to another. So a concentration gradient is a measurement of how the concentration of something changes from one place to another.

Why is the length of a random step longer?

So even though each step is in a random direction, the length of the step is longer if the bacterium is moving towards a higher concentration than it is if the bacterium is moving towards a lower concentration.

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Definition

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A concentration gradient occurs when a solute is more concentrated in one area than another. A concentration gradient is alleviated through diffusion, though membranes can hinder diffusion and maintain a concentration gradient.
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Overview

  • “Concentration” refers to how much of a solute is in a given amount of solvent. A corner of a water tank that has just had salt dumped into it would have a much higher concentration of salt than the opposite end of the tank, where no salt has diffused to. Therefore, a concentration gradient is said to exist in the tank. Over time, solutes always move down their concentration gradient to “try” to …
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Function of Concentration Gradients

  • Concentration gradients are a natural consequence of the laws of physics. However, living things have found many ways to use their properties to accomplish important life functions. Concentration gradients are used by many cells to complete a wide variety of tasks. In fact, there is energy stored in a concentration gradient because the molecules want to reach equilibrium. S…
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Examples of Concentration Gradients

  • ATP Synthase
    Some life forms use the tendency of solutes to move from an area of high concentration to low concentration in order to power life processes. ATP synthase – the protein that produces ATP – relies on a concentration gradient of hydrogen ions. As the ions pass through ATP synthase to c…
  • Neurons and the Sodium/Potassium Pump
    Neurons spend a huge amount of energy – about 20-25% of all the body’s calories, in humans – pumping potassium into their cells, and sodium out. The result is an extremely high concentration of potassium inside of nerve cells and a very high concentration of sodium outside. Since potas…
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Quiz

  • 1. Which of the following laws describes how concentration gradients work? A. An object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an outside force. B. Systems always progress toward a state of higher randomness. C. Substances diffuse from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. D.Both B and C. 2. Which of the following is NOT tr…
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