Question

Facilitated diffusion is the transport of materials across a cell membrane driven by the potential energy of a concentration gradient. How is the rate of facilitated diffusion affected when a cell's surface area-to-volume ratio is greatly increased? All facilitated diffusion stops when a cell's surface area-to-volume ratio changes. Facilitated diffusion is unaffected by a cell's surface area-to-volume ratio. The rate of facilitated diffusion is decreased. The rate of facilitated diffusion is increased.

Answer 1

The correct answer is "The rate of facilitated diffusion is decreased".

Step-by-step explanation:

Most cells obtain their nutrients by different kinds of diffusion. One property that affects the rate of diffusion is the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio. The smaller the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio, the higher the rate of diffusion. This happens because is easier for a small cell to get the nutrients to the center than to a large cell. This is the case for facilitated diffusion. Therefore, the rate of facilitated diffusion will be decreased when a cell's surface area-to-volume ratio is greatly increased.