Hypertonic solution description.

Hypertonic solution description.

• A. Isotonic Solution
• B. Hypertonic Solution
• C. Hypotonic Solution
• D. Diffusion

Answer: (B)

Tonicity is about how the solute concentration of a solution compares to what’s inside the cell. In a hypertonic solution, the outside has a higher solute concentration than the inside. Water moves out of the cell by osmosis to balance the concentrations, so the cell loses water and shrinks. This is why a hypertonic solution is described as causing cell shrinkage. For context, an isotonic solution has equal solute concentrations on both sides, so there’s no net water movement and the cell stays the same size. A hypotonic solution has fewer solutes outside, so water flows into the cell, making it swell and potentially burst. Diffusion, meanwhile, is the general movement of solute particles from high to low concentration and isn’t specifically about water movement across a membrane in response to tonicity.

Tonicity is about how the solute concentration of a solution compares to what’s inside the cell. In a hypertonic solution, the outside has a higher solute concentration than the inside. Water moves out of the cell by osmosis to balance the concentrations, so the cell loses water and shrinks. This is why a hypertonic solution is described as causing cell shrinkage.

For context, an isotonic solution has equal solute concentrations on both sides, so there’s no net water movement and the cell stays the same size. A hypotonic solution has fewer solutes outside, so water flows into the cell, making it swell and potentially burst. Diffusion, meanwhile, is the general movement of solute particles from high to low concentration and isn’t specifically about water movement across a membrane in response to tonicity.