Question

What are the consequences of the following conditions?

(a) A cell containing a higher water concentration than the surrounding medium

(b) A cell having low water concentration than the surrounding medium.

(c) A cell having equal water concentration to its surrounding medium.

Answer 1

Osmosis:

1. It is the process in which water molecules transfer from a low-concentration solution to a high-concentration solution through a semi-permeable membrane.
2. Endosmosis and Exosmosis are different types of osmosis.

Endosmosis:

1. When a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, it causes water to migrate inside the cell.
2. This movement of water inside the cell causes the cell to swell.

Exosmosis:

1. When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, it causes water to migrate outside the cells.
2. The cell shrinks by the movement of water outside.

Tonicity:

1. It measures the osmotic pressure gradient of two fluids separated by a semipermeable membrane.
2. Hypertonic, isotonic, and hypotonic are the three types of tonicity that a solution can have in relation to another.

Hypertonic solution:

A hypertonic solution has a higher solute content than a cell or another solution.

Hypotonic solution:

A hypotonic solution has lower solute content than a cell or another solution.

Isotonic solution:

The solution contains the same concentration of water and solutes as the cell or another solution.

1. Exosmosis occurs when a cell's water concentration is higher than the surrounding medium's.
2. Endosmosis occurs when a cell's water concentration is lower than the surrounding medium's.
3. No movement occurs when a cell's water concentration equals its surrounding medium.