hypertonic/hyptotonic

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

pistolpete007

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
318
Reaction score
0
this is very elementary but i just cant seem to get the right answer when it comes to practice tests....

hypertonic-if the concentration fo the solutes of the medium is greater than that of the cell, water will be drawn out of the cell by the more concentrated medium, with its high osmotic pressure resulting in shrinking

hypotonic-if the cell is placed in an env that is more dilute than the cellular interior it will draw water in causing to swell...

the thing is they both seem to be more concentrated inside bc in the first one it clearlly says if the concetration of the solutes of the medium is greater than that of the cell
hypotonic it says that the env more dilute(doesnt that mean less concentrated) therefore inside bieng more concentrated?

Members don't see this ad.
 
this is very elementary but i just cant seem to get the right answer when it comes to practice tests....

hypertonic-if the concentration fo the solutes of the medium is greater than that of the cell, water will be drawn out of the cell by the more concentrated medium, with its high osmotic pressure resulting in shrinking

hypotonic-if the cell is placed in an env that is more dilute than the cellular interior it will draw water in causing to swell...

the thing is they both seem to be more concentrated inside bc in the first one it clearlly says if the concetration of the solutes of the medium is greater than that of the cell
hypotonic it says that the env more dilute(doesnt that mean less concentrated) therefore inside bieng more concentrated?

You got the second statement figured out, but you need to read the first one more closely. It says that the solute concentration is greater in the medium (ie. external enviroment; outside the cell; etc.) than inside the cell.

I usually think about this in terms of the concentration of water. The higher the solute concentration, the lower the water concentration. Then you just see where that lower water concentration is and that's where the water will move.
 
*edited*

nvm, i probably did more harm than good with my previous post.

hyper TONIC := LOT OF TONIC (solute) in outside environment.
.:. water moves out of cell

hypo TONIC := LOW AMT. OF TONIC (solute) in outside ENV.
.:. water moves into cell

both are NET movements of the solution.
 
Last edited:
For example
when they may give u question like what happens when u put 2M cell into 1M solution....well cell is more concentrated than the outside env and according to u this is LOW TONIC in the outside and more tonic inside, therefore it should be hypotonic....but i think the answer was hypertonic

but then when u have a rbc placed in distilled water this will burst and this makes sense according to what u said bc the rbc has low tonic outside and more tonic inside so water will move in and burst making it hypotonic
 
For example
when they may give u question like what happens when u put 2M cell into 1M solution....well cell is more concentrated than the outside env and according to u this is LOW TONIC in the outside and more tonic inside, therefore it should be hypotonic....but i think the answer was hypertonic

but then when u have a rbc placed in distilled water this will burst and this makes sense according to what u said bc the rbc has low tonic outside and more tonic inside so water will move in and burst making it hypotonic

Both of those examples are the same. The intracellular enviroment is more concentrated than the extracellular enviroment, therefore water will move into the cell via osmosis and will burst. The solutions are hypotonic in both examples.
 
Top