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

Answer and explanation:

If a human blood cell with a 0.9% solute concentration were to be put into a container of 0% solute solution, the cell would get BIGGER.

The cell contains a more concentrated solution than the solution in the container. The difference in concentration would produce an osmotic gradient that would cause water from the container to get inside the cell to even the concentrations - this is going to make the cell much bigger because the entering water would bloat the cell.

In this example, the solution in the container is hypotonic in relation to the cell, while the solution inside the cell is hypertonic in relation to the solution in the container. This is why the water will be moving from outside of the cell to the inside of the cell.