Mammalian blood contains the equivalent of 0.15 M NaCl. Seawater contains the eq

Question

Mammalian blood contains the equivalent of 0.15 M NaCl. Seawater contains the equivalent of 0.45 M NaCl. What will happen if red blood cells are transferred to seawater?
a)The blood cells will expend ATP for active transport of NaCl into the cytoplasm.
b)NaCl will passively diffuse into the red blood cells.
c)The blood cells will take up water, swell, and eventually burst.
d)Water will leave the cells, causing them to shrivel and collapse.
e)NaCl will be exported from the red blood cells by facilitated diffusion.

Explanation / Answer

Answer: [D]

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Explanation:

Option A: Cells do not expend ATP to take in NaCl. In fact, it does the opposite on a regular basis through a sodium-potassium ATPase pump (exports Na+ ions out).

Option B: NaCl is dissociated in seawater into Na+ and Cl- ions. Since these ions are charged, they cannot cross the cell membrane into the interior of the cell.

Option C: This occurs in a freshwater environment, not in seawater (salt water).

Option D: Water will leave the cells causing the cell to shrink. This is due to the fact that water travels from a location of low solute concentration to a location with high solute concentration. Since the seawater is salty and has a very high solute concentration of salt ions (Na+ and Cl-), water will diffuse out of the cell into the surrounding water.

Option E: Not true. This has nothing to do with ions going in or out of the cell. Only water.

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