Passive transport means moving biochemicals and atomic or molecular substances across

the cell membrane. Unlike active transport, this process does not involve chemical energy. The
four main kinds of passive transport are diffusion, facilitated diffusion, filtration and osmosis.

In diffusion, molecules travel from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. When

you put a drop of ink in a glass of water, the spreading of the ink in the water is called
diffusion. Similarly, if you spray an air freshener in one corner of a room, eventually people on
the other side of the room will be able to smell it as well because the scent has diffused.

In osmosis, molecules also travel from higher concentration to a lower concentration.

However, osmosis specifically refers to the movement of WATER molecules. Both of these
types of transport are examples of passive transport, which requires no energy.

Factors Affecting the Rate Diffusion and Osmosis

Size Small molecules can slip by the polar heads of the phospholipids and through the
membrane to the other side. Oxygen gas, carbon dioxide and water can move in this manner.
Very large molecules like proteins cannot diffuse across the membrane at all.

Shape Glucose is able to get into cells much faster than other sugars. This is accomplished by
facilitated diffusion. A carrier protein specific for glucose (not other sugars) combines with it
on the outer surface, closes around it, and then opens to the inside of the cell where the
glucose is released. The carrier then returns to its original shape and is ready to transport
another glucose molecule. These carriers can move up to 100 glucose molecules per second
across the cell membrane.

Concentration The greater the concentration gradient between the outside and inside of the
membrane the greater the rate of diffusion. If the concentration of oxygen outside the cell
increases then it will diffuse more quickly into the cell. The opposite is also true. If a muscle
cell for example is working hard and using up large quantities of oxygen in cellular respiration
producing ATP, then the low levels inside the cell will increase the concentration gradient
compared to outside and the rate of diffusion of oxygen into the cell will increase. The same
conditions in a muscle cell would create high concentrations of carbon dioxide inside the cell
and increase the rate of diffusion from inside to outside.

Charge (+/-) Ions or molecules with a charge cannot pass through the lipid bilayer by
diffusion. Other mechanisms involving protein carriers and ATP energy are required. The
sodium/potassium ion pump is an example of this type of transport.

Lipid Solubility Lipid soluble molecules can move through the lipid bilayer. Generally these
molecules are other lipids. Steroid hormones like testosterone and estrogen are examples of
such molecules. This easy access to cells explains the powerful and wide ranging effects of
such hormones.

Temperature In general, increases in temperature cause all molecules to move faster.

Diffusion is a passive movement of molecules so quicker molecule movement translates into
quicker diffusion.