A student had their wisdom teeth removed, and their mouth is swollen. Their doctor tells them to rinse their mouth with a warm saltwater solution every few hours. How does the saltwater solution help reduce the swelling in the student's mouth?

Question

A.

The salt water is a hypotonic solution, and the swollen cells in the student's mouth will take in water through osmosis.

B.

The salt water is a hypotonic solution, and the swollen cells in the student's mouth will release water through diffusion.

C.

The salt water is a hypertonic solution, and the swollen cells in the student's mouth will take in water through diffusion.

D.

The salt water is a hypertonic solution, and the swollen cells in the student's mouth will release water through osmosis.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

D. The salt water is a hypertonic solution, and the swollen cells in the student's mouth will release water through osmosis.

When a hypertonic solution (like saltwater) is applied to a region of higher concentration of solute outside the cells, it causes water to move out of the swollen cells into the saline solution, helping to reduce swelling.