When a nutrient moves freely across the cell membrane from an area of higher nutrient concentration into an absorptive cell where the concentration of that nutrient is lower, this is called ___.

Passive diffusion

Explanation:

Basically, it is the movement of nutrients without a required energy and work across cell membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration called the absorptive cell.

Passive Diffusion-Passive transport

Explanation:

Passive diffusion  is  an  example of  passive  transport process which involved the movements of  molecules from higher concentration gradients to lower concentration gradient . It is independent of energy supply,but depends only on concentration  gradients(solute gradients) across the two media,

It is different from simple diffusion which allow  only  the transport   of  molecules  of small  molecular sizes,  those that are  non-polar.,and hydrophobic ,

An increase in the volume of metabolites in the d small intestine (e.g lipids)  compare to the cells and tissues  ;  set up   high concentration gradients which forces these substances to be transported passively down their concentration gradients  from the intestine (jejunum) into the cells by passive diffusion.