What Is The Difference Between Facilitated Diffusion And Active Transport

Facilitated diffusion is a type of passive transport that allows substances to cross membranes with the assistance of special transport proteins.

In diffusion both lipids and proteins are involved as membrane components responsible for transport whereas in active transport the membrane components involved are only proteins. Simple diffusion facilitated diffusion osmosis and filtration are examples of passive transport. There is one main difference between facilitated diffusion and active transport. Diffusion is the passive movement of molecules along a concentration gradient of higher concentration to a lower concentration.

This differences leads to other aspects of these two types of transport to be different as well. The key difference between active transport and facilitated diffusion is that the active transport occurs against the concentration gradient hence utilizes energy to transport molecules across the membrane while the facilitated diffusion occurs along the concentration gradient hence does not utilize energy to transport molecules across the membrane. Two types of diffusion are simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion whereas two types of active transport are primary and secondary active transport. Active transport is the movement of particles across a cellular membrane from a lower to a higher concentration by the use of metabolic energy.

In active transport the molecules move against the concentration gradient whereas in passive transport the molecules move along the concentration gradient. Differences between active transport and facilitated diffusion. Active transport requires an input of energy usually atp while facilitated transport does not. Active transport can transport chemicals against their concentration gradients while facilitated transport cannot.

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Facilitated diffusion is also a passive transport mechanism that doesn t require any energy but some facilitated diffusion processes can be active. Uptake of glucose in the human intestine works on the principle of active transport.