Tonicity

Question 1

What is tonicity

Answer 1

• the concentration of a solid as compared to another solution
• a measure of the effective osmotic pressure gradient

Question 2

Isotonic solution

Answer 2

• a solution with the same concentration as inside a red blood cell
• no net movement of water in/out of cell

Question 3

Hypertonic solution

Answer 3

• concentration of a solution is higher than a red blood cell
• water moves out of a cell (into the solution)

Question 4

Hypotonic solution

Answer 4

• concentration of a solution is lower than a red blood cell
• water moves into a cell (out of the solution)

Question 5

Plasmolysis/crenation

Answer 5

• if a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, water will leave the cell through osmosis
• the cell with ‘shrivel’

Question 6

Lysis

Answer 6

• if a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, water will enter the cell through osmosis
• the cell will eventually expand and explode