Final answer:
Active transporters do indeed always move solutes away from equilibrium, utilizing energy usually in the form of ATP to pump substances against their concentration gradients, necessary for maintaining cellular function and homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is whether active transporters always move solutes away from equilibrium. By definition, active transport involves the movement of a substance against its concentration gradient, which is an energetically uphill process. This process requires the use of metabolic energy in the form of ATP. Hence, active transporters, such as pumps or carrier proteins, are indeed designed to move solutes away from equilibrium, creating a state of disequilibrium that is necessary for certain cellular functions.
For example, the sodium-potassium pump is a classic active transporter that pumps sodium ions out of cells and potassium ions into cells against their respective concentration gradients. In another instance, glucose may be transported into a cell against its gradient through a symporter, which simultaneously moves sodium down its gradient, illustrating a form of secondary active transport. These transport processes are essential for maintaining the proper function and homeostasis within cells. Therefore, the active transport mechanisms serve to maintain concentrations of ions and other essential substances at levels that would not be possible through passive diffusion alone.