Question

What transport process couples the movement of an ion against its electrochemical gradient to another ion that is moving down its electrochemical gradient that was established using cellular energy (ATP)?

A) primary active transport

B) secondary active transport

C) tertiary passive transport

D) primary passive transport

E) secondary passive transport

Answer 1

The process that moves an ion against its gradient using the energy from another ion's gradient created by primary active transport is called secondary active transport.

Step-by-step explanation:

The transport process that couples the movement of an ion against its electrochemical gradient to another ion moving down its electrochemical gradient is called secondary active transport or co-transport.

This type of transport is made possible by the energy stored within the electrochemical gradient created by primary active transport, which does use ATP to move ions across a membrane and create a charge difference. The secondary active transport process harnesses this energy to move another substance into the cell against its own gradient. Examples of this are the movements of amino acids and glucose into a cell using the energy from the sodium ion gradient established by the sodium-potassium pump, a primary active transport mechanism.