Question

How would you compare and contrast active transport and facilitated diffusion?

Answer 1

The movement of molecules from the region of higher concentration to the region of lower concentration of the molecules is known as diffusion. It allows the cells to gain useful substances that are required to obtain energy and grow which helps to get rid of the waste products.

Complete answer:

Active transport	Facilitated diffusion
It occurs through the channels which burn energy from ATP that allows the molecule to transport their concentration gradient.	It involves channels that are selectively or non-selectively supported by the diffusion of the small molecules to their concentration gradient.
It is an active process that requires energy.	It is a passive process that does not require any energy.
It uses carrier proteins for transportation which changes the shape of the carrier protein.	It uses gated channels and carrier proteins for their transportation.
It transports the molecules against a concentration gradient.	It transports large polar molecules.

Additional information:
It involves protein transport and still passive transport because of the solute which is moving down the concentration gradient. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the lipids which make up the cell membrane the polar molecules and ions do not easily diffuse across the cell membrane. The Three types of transport proteins which are involved in facilitated diffusion are gated channel proteins, channel proteins, and carrier proteins. The protein which is specific for an ion or a group of substances is a carrier protein that carries the ion in the molecule across the membrane by changing its shape after binding with the ion or molecule.

Note:
The process of diffusion is passive and needs no energy to be transferred for it to take place. The way particles move affects the rate of diffusion which is affected by the temperature. Membrane proteins facilitate diffusion and the surface area of the membrane available affects the rate of diffusion.