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Is the transport of potassiun ions into the cell endergonic
orexergonic and why?

User VVB
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Answer: Endergonic

Step-by-step explanation:

The sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+ pump) moves sodium and potassium ions against its concentration gradient, which means in opposite directions through the membrane. Two potassium ions are imported into the cell while three sodium ions are exported.

This pump uses the energy derived from exergonic ATP hydrolysis. This means, ATP releases energy that will be used by the pump. Thereby the use of energy by the pump is an endergonic reaction, because it requires the absorption of energy to function.

So, when ATP is hydrolyzed, it donates free energy to the pump which goes under a conformational change, allowing it to move the ions.

User Matthew Madill
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