General Chemisry generalizations

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kov82

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is it ok to generalize that the more solute in a solution, the lower the vapor pressure of that solution, and that the lower the vapor pressure of a solution, the more resistant it is to phase changes??


solutions that have identical osmotic P's are said to be isotonic solutions, fluids administered intravenously must be isotonic w/body fluids, for ex, red blood cells are bathed in hypertonic solution, which is a solution having an osmotic P higher than that of the cell fluids, the cells will shrivel, this is called crenation, the opposite phenomenon, hemolysis, occurs when cells are bathed in a hypotonic solution, a solution w/an osmotic P lower than that of the cell fluids, the cell ruptures.

I understand, that water will want to diffuse (osmosis) from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, so if the cell is bathed in a hypertonic solution, there is a higher concentration of water inside the cell, and it will travel through the membrane out of the cell and the cell will shrivel, but from what I read I want to make a generalization about osmotic pressure, so if there is more solute in a solution (hypertonic solution), there is a greater osmotic P? always?, I imagine that the more solute a solution has, the more water will pass a permeable barrier and there will be a greater P (osmotic P) needed to stop the osmosis, so it always applies?

since osmotic pressure is the minimum P required to stop osmosis, and the osmotic P of the hypertonic solution is greater than the osmotic P of the fluid in the cell as my book says, it seems to say that the osmotic P of the hypertonic solution is greater I should think of it as the hypertonic solution is able to prevent osmosis of ITS fluid but allows water from the cell to come in? is the book statement worded strangely? that doesn't seem right to me, if the osmotic P is greater in the hypertonic solution, wouldn't it (by definition of osmotic P) prevent osmosis of fluid from the cell? In the same way, I would think if the cells osmotic P is lower (when bathed in a hypertonic solution) then it would not be able to prevent osmosis of fluid INTO it, and it would rupture, not shrivel!
 
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