Which of the Following Processes Includes All Others

Question

Which of the following processes includes all others?
A) osmosis
B) diffusion of a solute across a membrane
C) facilitated diffusion
D) passive transport
E) transport of an ion down its electrochemical gradient

Accepted Answer

Passive transport encompasses all the processes listed (osmosis, diffusion of a solute across a membrane, facilitated diffusion, and transport of an ion down its electrochemical gradient) as they all involve the movement of substances across cell membranes without the need for energy input from the cell.