A hypotonic solution will cause water to move ________the cell, and the cell will ______.
A hypertonic solution will cause water to move ______the cell, and the cell will ________.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of tonicity: Tonicity refers to the relative concentration of solutes in a solution compared to the inside of a cell. A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration than the cell, while a hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration than the cell.
2. Recall the principle of osmosis: Water moves across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration (higher water concentration) to an area of higher solute concentration (lower water concentration).
3. For a hypotonic solution: Since the solution has a lower solute concentration than the cell, water will move into the cell. This influx of water can cause the cell to swell and potentially burst (lyse) if the influx is excessive.
4. For a hypertonic solution: Since the solution has a higher solute concentration than the cell, water will move out of the cell. This efflux of water can cause the cell to shrink (crenate).
5. Summarize the effects: In a hypotonic solution, water moves into the cell, and the cell swells. In a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell, and the cell shrinks.

Key Concepts

Osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. This process is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis and is driven by the concentration gradient of solutes.

Hypotonic Solution

A hypotonic solution has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the inside of a cell. When a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, water moves into the cell, causing it to swell and potentially burst due to increased internal pressure.

Hypertonic Solution

A hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes than the inside of a cell. In this scenario, water moves out of the cell into the surrounding solution, leading to cell shrinkage or crenation as the cell loses water to balance the solute concentrations.