If a red blood cell (intracellular concentration of 0.9% salt) is placed into a test tube containing 10% salt solution, what would happen to it?
If a red blood cell (intracellular concentration of 0.9% salt) is placed into a test tube containing 10% salt solution, what would happen to it?
The correct option is B. The red blood cell would shrink as it loses water to the salt solution in the test tube.
The intracellular concentration of the RBC is more dilute or hypotonic compared to the salt solution. Hence, the salt solution present in the test tube acts as a hypertonic solution when compared to the RBC.
Therefore, water will move out of the RBC due to osmosis as the concentration of salt is lower inside the RBC. The solvent will move outside to maintain an equilibrium concentration of the cell with the surrounding by bringing down the salt concentration in the test tube. Such a condition is called plasmolysis where the cell shrinks due to loss of water. Hence, under the given condition the red blood cell will undergo plasmolysis.
The correct option is B. The red blood cell would shrink as it loses water to the salt solution in the test tube.
The intracellular concentration of the RBC is more dilute or hypotonic compared to the salt solution. Hence, the salt solution present in the test tube acts as a hypertonic solution when compared to the RBC.
Therefore, water will move out of the RBC due to osmosis as the concentration of salt is lower inside the RBC. The solvent will move outside to maintain an equilibrium concentration of the cell with the surrounding by bringing down the salt concentration in the test tube. Such a condition is called plasmolysis where the cell shrinks due to loss of water. Hence, under the given condition the red blood cell will undergo plasmolysis.
