Tonicity DOL

Front

What is tonicity?

Back

Tonicity refers to the ability of a solution to affect the volume and pressure of a cell by osmosis.

Front

What happens to a cell in a hypotonic solution?

Back

The cell will swell up as water enters the cell.

Front

What happens to a cell in a hypertonic solution?

Back

The cell will shrink as water leaves the cell.

Front

What is homeostasis?

Back

Homeostasis is the maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment within an organism.

Front

How do cells maintain homeostasis?

Back

Cells maintain homeostasis by regulating what enters and leaves the cell.

Front

What is the role of the cell membrane in homeostasis?

Back

The cell membrane acts as a protective barrier that controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell.

Front

What is osmosis?

Back

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Front

What is an isotonic solution?

Back

An isotonic solution is one where the concentration of solutes is equal inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water.

Front

What is the effect of a hypertonic solution on plant cells?

Back

Plant cells will undergo plasmolysis, where the cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall due to loss of water.

Front

What is the effect of a hypotonic solution on plant cells?

Back

Plant cells become turgid (firm) as water enters the cell, pushing the cell membrane against the cell wall.