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blood cells placed in a 500 mOsm/L solution will___
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GPT-4o mini
When blood cells (like red blood cells) are placed in a 500 mOsm/L solution, the behavior of these cells depends on the tonicity of the solution relative to the intracellular osmolarity of the cells.
1. **Isotonic Solution**: If the osmolarity of the blood cells is approximately equal to the solution (around 285-300 mOsm/L), there would be no net movement of water into or out of the cells, and they would retain their normal shape.
2. **Hypotonic Solution**: If the solution were hypotonic (less than 285-300 mOsm/L), water would move into the cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst (a process called lysis).
3. **Hypertonic Solution**: Conversely, if the solution is hypertonic (greater than 285-300 mOsm/L), like 500 mOsm/L, water would move out of the cells into the surrounding solution. This causes the cells to shrink, a process known as crenation.
Since 500 mOsm/L is significantly hypertonic compared to the normal osmolarity of blood cells, the blood cells would shrink (crenate) when placed in this solution.
1. **Isotonic Solution**: If the osmolarity of the blood cells is approximately equal to the solution (around 285-300 mOsm/L), there would be no net movement of water into or out of the cells, and they would retain their normal shape.
2. **Hypotonic Solution**: If the solution were hypotonic (less than 285-300 mOsm/L), water would move into the cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst (a process called lysis).
3. **Hypertonic Solution**: Conversely, if the solution is hypertonic (greater than 285-300 mOsm/L), like 500 mOsm/L, water would move out of the cells into the surrounding solution. This causes the cells to shrink, a process known as crenation.
Since 500 mOsm/L is significantly hypertonic compared to the normal osmolarity of blood cells, the blood cells would shrink (crenate) when placed in this solution.