There are disk-shaped red blood cells.
Next, sugar is added to the solution to create a hypertonic solution. The sample is then looked at under a microscope again.
There are shriveled red blood cells.
What happened to the red blood cells after the sugar was added to the solution?
A.
The red blood cells released water through osmosis to reach equilibrium with the surrounding solution.
B.
The red blood cells absorbed water through osmosis to reach equilibrium with the surrounding solution.
C.
The red blood cells released water through active transport to reach equilibrium with the surrounding solution.
D.
The red blood cells absorbed water through active transport to reach equilibrium with the surrounding solution.
1 answer
The correct answer is:
A. The red blood cells released water through osmosis to reach equilibrium with the surrounding solution.
In a hypertonic solution, the concentration of solutes (in this case, sugar) outside the red blood cells is higher than the concentration inside the cells. To achieve equilibrium, water moves out of the red blood cells through osmosis, causing the cells to shrivel.
