Question: The Sodium-Potassium Pump (6 steps)

Answer:

Question: Step 1

Answer: Three sodium ions bind to the cytoplasmic side of the carrier protein.

Question: Step 2 (phosphorylation)

Answer: ATP adds a phosphate group to the carrier protein. This causes the protein to change shape.

Question: Step 3

Answer: With the new shape the sodium ions now face the cell exterior. The ions don’t bind as well to the new shape and they are released to the outside.

Question: Step 4

Answer: The new shape will allow two potassium ions to bind

from the outside.