WCLN.ca Part 4: Analyze the Following 6. If a red blood cell (RBC) has a solute
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WCLN.ca Part 4: Analyze the Following 6. If a red blood cell (RBC) has a solute concentration of 0.9%; a. What would be the solute concentration of an isotonic solution? b. What would happen to the appearance/mass of the RBC if placed in the isotonic solution? c. What must be true of the solute concentration of a hypertonic solution? d. What would happen to the appearance/mass of the RBC if placed in the hypertonic solution? e. What must be true of the solute concentration of a hypotonic solution? f. What would happen to the appearance/mass of the RBC if placed in the hypotonic solution?Explanation / Answer
Ans- 6 a) If a cell is placed in an isotonic solution , the relative concentrations of solute and water are equal on both the sides of the membrane.Hence if a red blood cell has a solute concentration of 0.9% in an isotonic solution then the solute concentration will also be 0.9%.The cell and the solution in this condition is said to be in osmotic equilibrium.
b) There won't be any change in the appearance/mass of RBC if a cell is placed in an isotonic solution.Since there is no net movement of water and solute from inside the cell to outside or vice-versa therefore the RBC will neither shrink or swell.Rather it will remain of the same size and shape.So no change in apperarance or mass occurs.
c) If the same red blood cell having a solute concentration of 0.9% is placed in a hypertonic solution then the cell will shrink showing that the solute concentration increases inside the RBC as the movement of solute takes place from the solution to the cell.The water starts moving outside the cell into the solution so we can say that the solute starts moving inside the cell leading to increase in its concentration.
d) The RBC will shrink when placed in a hypertonic solution since the water will move out of the cell.So the mass of the RBC decreases when placed in hypertonic solution.
e) If the RBC is placed in a hypotonic solution then the solute from the RBC will start moving out into the hypotonic solution and the water will start getting inside the RBC.So the solute concentration of RBC will devrease if it is placed in a hypotonic solution leading to swelling of the cell.
f) The RBC will swell if placed in a hypotonic solution.So its mass will also increase since the water moves inside the cell when placed in ahypotonic solution.
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