When red blood cells are placed in a salt water solution that has a salt concentration much higher than that of the red blood cells, the correct prediction is:
A. The red blood cells will lose water and decrease in size.
This occurs because the higher concentration of salt in the surrounding solution creates a hypertonic environment relative to the inside of the red blood cells. Water will move out of the cells in an attempt to balance the solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane, causing the red blood cells to shrink.