Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
Biology

Critical Thinking Questions

BiologyCritical Thinking Questions

16.

Why is it advantageous for the cell membrane to be fluid in nature?

17.

Why do phospholipids tend to spontaneously orient themselves into something resembling a membrane?

18.

Discuss why the following affect the rate of diffusion: molecular size, temperature, solution density, and the distance that must be traveled.

19.

Why does water move through a membrane?

20.

Both of the regular intravenous solutions administered in medicine, normal saline and lactated Ringer’s solution, are isotonic. Why is this important?

21.

Where does the cell get energy for active transport processes?

22.

How does the sodium-potassium pump contribute to the net negative charge of the interior of the cell?

23.

Why is it important that there are different types of proteins in plasma membranes for the transport of materials into and out of a cell?

24.

Why do ions have a difficult time getting through plasma membranes despite their small size?

Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/biology/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Feb 14, 2022 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.