Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam Practice 2025 – Comprehensive Prep

Organisms make nutrients available to cells primarily through absorption. Absorption is the process by which organisms take up nutrients from their environment, such as from the food they consume or the soil in which they live. In animals, for example, the digestive system breaks down food into smaller components, which are then absorbed through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream, allowing those nutrients to be delivered to cells throughout the body.

In plants, the process involves the uptake of water and minerals from the soil through their root systems, which then enter the plant and are transported to various cells for metabolic processes. The absorbed nutrients are essential for growth, energy production, and cellular repair.

While photosynthesis, respiration, and circulation are critical biological processes, they do not directly pertain to the initial availability of nutrients to cells. Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy and produces organic compounds, but it is primarily relevant for plants. Respiration is the process of breaking down glucose for energy, and circulation refers to the movement of fluids within an organism to transport nutrients and waste products, but the actual uptake of nutrients into cells occurs through absorption.