Question

Suppose a human blood cell containing a 0.9 percent solute concentration were put into a container of 0 percent solute solution (i.e., distilled water). Would the blood cell get bigger or smaller? Why? In your explanation, you must tell me which area has the hypotonic solution (inside the blood cell or outside the blood cell), which area has the hypertonic solution (inside the blood cell or outside the blood cell), and which direction the water would be moving (into the cell or out of the cell)

Answer 1

Explanation:

The solution is hypotonic (lower concentration), and the inside of the cell is hypertonic (higher concentration). Water always moves in the direction of the higher concentration. Therefore, it would move inside the cell, and this will cause the cell to swell (get bigger), and eventually burst.

It is to be noted that the process by which water moves from a low concentrated solute to a high concentrated solute is called osmosis.