Multiple Choice
Crenation (shriveling) of an animal cell such as a red blood cell takes place when the cell is placed in which type of solution?
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9. Transport Across Membranes
Passive Transport: Diffusion and Osmosis
Multiple Choice
An animal cell is placed in a hypertonic solution relative to its cytosol. Which outcome is most likely due to osmosis?
A
There is no net movement of water because the solution is isotonic to the cell.
B
Solute moves into the cell until the cell membrane ruptures, with no net water movement.
C
Water enters the cell, causing it to swell and potentially lyse.
D
Water leaves the cell, causing it to shrink (crenate).
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the concept of tonicity and osmosis. Tonicity refers to the relative concentration of solutes outside the cell compared to inside the cell, which affects the movement of water across the cell membrane by osmosis.
Step 2: Define a hypertonic solution. A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration outside the cell than inside the cytosol, meaning the extracellular fluid is more concentrated.
Step 3: Apply the principle of osmosis. Water moves from an area of lower solute concentration (inside the cell) to an area of higher solute concentration (outside the cell) to balance solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane.
Step 4: Predict the effect on the animal cell. Since water moves out of the cell into the hypertonic solution, the cell loses water and shrinks, a process called crenation.
Step 5: Contrast with other options. No net water movement occurs only in isotonic solutions; solutes do not typically move freely across the membrane to cause rupture; water entering the cell and causing swelling happens in hypotonic solutions, not hypertonic.
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