Ions diffuse across membranes through specific ion channels
A) down their chemical gradients.
B) down their concentration gradients.
C) down the electrical gradients.
D) down their electrochemical gradients.
E) down the osmotic potential gradients.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ions diffuse across membranes through specific ion channels down their electrochemical gradients, which reflects a combination of their chemical and electrical gradients. The electrochemical gradient is generated by the combination of the ion's concentration gradient across the membrane and the membrane potential. This means that positively charged ions will move towards areas of relatively more negative charge, while negatively charged ions will move towards areas of relatively more positive charge, until the concentration and electrical gradients are balanced.

Ions Diffuse Across Membranes Through Specific Ion Channels