Homework Help: SCI

Posted by Lena on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:09pm.

Hypothetically speaking, I placed a cell in a glass of water and after about a day the cell grew in size. Why did the cell grow?

Well I was thinking this:
The reason the cell grew was because there was a higher concentration of water outside of the cell and therefore -in order to acheive equillibrium- the water diffused into the cell (which had a lower concentration of water).

So the solute was hypertonic to the cell and the cell was hypotonic to the solute and therefore water was diffused into the cell through osmosis.

Is that right?

SCI - bobpursley, Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:20pm
The first paragraph was right.

The second doesn't make sense. Water flows from whichever side of the cell is more dilute to the more concentrated side; water tries to dilute the more concentrated side.
- SCI - Lena, Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:22pm
  ok I understand
  thank you :)

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