Beginning of Essay
All cells have an outer protective casing, the cell membrane. It protects the cell from the outside world, but is also vital in the transfer of particles in and out of the cell. The cell membrane controls which particles can enter, and which particles can not, bec ....

Middle of Essay
.... and active transport, all of which involve only small simple molecules. Diffusion is the movement of a substance from a region of high concentration, to a region of low concentration of that substance. In other words, a movement down the concentration gradient. Osmosis is very similar to diffusion, however it involves the concentration of water. Osmosis, like diffusion, is a passive process, and does not require energy to occur. Active transport does require energy though, as it involves movement up the concentration gradient. This involves protein carrier molecules binding to the substance and moving it into or out of the cell, against the concentrat ....