Question 5: Which of the following would decrease the net flux of a penetrating solute into a
cell?
(A) Increasing the permeability constant for that solute
(B) Decreasing the temperature
(C) Increasing the concentration of the solute in the extracellular fluid
(D) Increasing the area of the cell membrane
(E) Decreasing the thickness of the membrane
Correct answer: (B) Decreasing the temperature
Question 7: In general, polar molecules diffuse more rapidly through the lipid bilayer part of
cell membranes than do nonpolar molecules. This statement is:
(A) True
(B) False, because polar molecules diffuse through less rapidly because the bilayer is polar throughout
its width.
(C) False, because polar molecules diffuse through less rapidly because the bilayer is nonpolar
throughout its width.
(D) False, because nonpolar molecules diffuse through more rapidly because much of the bilayer is
nonpolar.
(E) False, because the rate of diffusion of nonpolar and polar molecules through the bilayer is
essentially the same as long as the molecules are the same size.
Correct answer: (C) False, because polar molecules diffuse through less rapidly because the
bilayer is nonpolar throughout its width.
Question 9: Ion channels in cell membranes:
(A) Are nonspecific.
(B) Are not affected by differences in electrical potential across the membrane.
(C) May open in response to binding a ligand.
(D) Only allow ions to move from the extracellular fluid into the cell.
(E) Only allow ions to move from the intracellular fluid out of the cell.
Correct answer: (C) May open in response to binding a ligand.
Question 10: Which is true about mediated transport across cell membranes?
(A) It refers to the movement of ions through protein channels.
(B) It refers both to simple diffusion and to the active transport of molecules.
(C) It is characterized by saturable carriers and a maximum velocity of transport.
(D) As the concentration gradient across a membrane increases, the transport rate always increases.
(E) It is nonspecific; any transporter can transport any molecule across the cell membrane.
Correct answer: (C) It is characterized by saturable carriers and a maximum velocity of
transport.
Question 11: Which is true about mediated transport of substances across cell membranes?
(A) It involves a specific membrane protein that functions as a carrier molecule.
(B) It always involves the movement of substances against a concentration gradient.
(C) It is always directly coupled to the splitting of ATP molecules.
(D) There is no limit to how fast it can occur as the concentration gradient becomes larger.
(E) It is the main mechanism for transporting hydrophobic molecules across membranes.
Correct answer: (A) It involves a specific membrane protein that functions as a carrier
molecule.
Question 12: Which of the following is a feature that distinguishes active transport from
facilitated diffusion?
(A) Saturation of transport rate
(B) Requirement for a carrier molecule
(C) Carrier molecules have specificity
(D) Presence of a transport maximum
(E) Requirement for metabolic energy
Correct answer: (E) Requirement for metabolic energy
Question 13: Which is true regarding the mediated transport of a substance across a plasma
membrane?
(A) It depends upon the binding of that substance to a specific site on the membrane protein.
(B) It depends upon movement of proteins from one side of the membrane to the other.
(C) It always increases in direct proportion to the increasing concentration of the substance on one side
of the membrane.
(D) Both (A) and (B) are correct.
(E) All of the choices are correct.
Correct answer: (D) Both (A) and (B) are correct.
Question 14: Which is a form of cellular transport that involves the movement of molecules
into cells without passing through the plasma membrane's structural matrix?
(A) Diffusion
(B) Osmosis
(C) Facilitated diffusion
(D) Endocytosis
(E) Apoptosis
Correct answer: (D) Endocytosis
Question 15: By what transport mechanism does glucose enter most cells?
(A) Diffusion through the lipid bilayer
(B) Primary active transport
(C) Secondary active transport
(D) Diffusion through a protein channel
(E) Facilitated diffusion
Correct answer: (E) Facilitated diffusion
Question 16: Which of the following statements about the Na■-K■ ATPase pump is false?
(A) It transports Na■ out of cells and K■ into cells.
(B) It binds to, and hydrolyzes, ATP.
(C) Its activity requires the expenditure of metabolic energy.
(D) It transports Na■ and K■ in a 1:1 ratio.
(E) It is constantly active in all cells.
Correct answer: (D) It transports Na■ and K■ in a 1:1 ratio.
Question 17: A cell is placed into a 1 millimolar solution of substance X and over time you
witness the concentration of X inside the cell increase to 5 millimolar. What is the best
explanation for this observation?
(A) X is moving into the cell by diffusion through a protein channel.
(B) X is moving into the cell by facilitated diffusion.
(C) X is moving into the cell by primary active transport.
(D) Water is leaving the cell by osmosis.
(E) X is moving into the cell by simple diffusion.
Correct answer: (C) X is moving into the cell by primary active transport.