Question

Why is active transport necessary for the sodium-potassium pump to work?

A. All channel movement requires active transport to equalize the cell
B. It allows sodium and potassium to move against their concentration gradient
C. The potassium would never leave a cell while sodium can move against the gradient
D. The sodium would never leave a cell while potassium can move against the gradient

Answer 1

A. All channel movement requires active transport to equalize the cell

Step-by-step explanation:

Active transport is necessary for the sodium-potassium pump to work because all channel movement requires active transport to equalize the cell.

Answer 2

B. It allows sodium and potassium to move against their concentration gradient

Step-by-step explanation:

The role of sodium and potassium pump in the body is to help move ions against their concentration gradient. There are two types of transport (1) active transport (2) passive transport.

Passive transport is a natural phenomenon in which ions move from high concentration to lower concentration. In such transport no ATP/energy is required. In contrast to this, active transport is a kind of transport which occurs against concentration gradient and in order to facilitate this opposite movement of ions they require ATP/energy input. Sodium and potassium pumps perform active transport in our body. In neurons they play an important role of ion exchange. They move sodium and potassium ions against their concentration gradient for which they require ATP and thus help in basic functioning of neurons.