Homeostasis and Cell Transport

Homeostasis is the process by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Active transport is the movement of molecules across a cell membrane from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration, requiring energy.

Facilitated diffusion is the process of passive transport of molecules across a cell membrane via specific transmembrane proteins.

A concentration gradient is the difference in the concentration of a substance across a space.

As the temperature increases, the rate of diffusion increases because molecules move faster at higher temperatures.

A hypotonic solution is a solution that has a lower concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing cells to swell as water enters.

A hypertonic solution is a solution that has a higher concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing cells to shrink as water leaves.

An isotonic solution is a solution that has the same concentration of solutes as another solution, resulting in no net movement of water.

Cells need to maintain homeostasis to ensure optimal conditions for cellular processes and to survive in changing environments.