Question

Why does the skin of fingers shrink when washing clothes for a long time?

• A. Soap solution has high concentration of solutes (hypertonic)
• B. Water moves out of finger due to exosmosis
• C. Both A and B
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is C Both A and B

Soap contains large amount of solutes. Soap is a hypertonic solution with high amounts of salts. Hence, when washing clothes solute concentration is more in soap water than in cells of hand. Due to this, exosmosis occurs in which the water molecules present in cells of hand move out in soap solution. This is an osmotic process in which the water molecules move from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration, i.e., from dilute solutions to concentrated solution through a semi-permeable membrane.