What happens when red blood cells are placed in a solution that contains 0.99% (m/v) NaCl solution?

Red blood cells are about 0.9%. In osmosis, water flows from the less concd soln to the more concd soln.

When red blood cells are placed in a solution that contains 0.99% (m/v) NaCl solution, it triggers a process known as osmosis. Here's the explanation of what happens:

To understand the outcome, we need to consider the concept of tonicity. Tonicity refers to the relative concentration of solutes in two solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane, such as the red blood cell membrane. There are three possible scenarios: isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic.

1. Isotonic solution: If the concentration of solutes inside the red blood cells is equal to the concentration of solutes outside the cells, it is considered an isotonic solution. In this case, no net movement of water occurs, and the red blood cells retain their normal shape and size.

2. Hypotonic solution: If the concentration of solutes outside the red blood cells is lower than the concentration inside the cells, the solution is hypotonic. When red blood cells are placed in a hypotonic solution, water moves into the cells through osmosis, causing them to swell and potentially burst (this is called hemolysis).

3. Hypertonic solution: If the concentration of solutes outside the red blood cells is higher than the concentration inside the cells, the solution is hypertonic. When red blood cells are placed in a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cells through osmosis, causing them to shrink and shrivel up (this is called crenation).

In the case of a 0.99% (m/v) NaCl solution, we need to determine whether it is isotonic, hypotonic, or hypertonic.

To calculate the molarity of the NaCl solution, we need to know the molar mass of NaCl and the volume of the solution.

Once we have the molarity, we can convert it to a percentage (m/v) by multiplying the molarity by the molar mass of NaCl and dividing by the volume of the solution (assuming the density of the solution is known).

If the concentration of NaCl is higher in the 0.99% (m/v) NaCl solution compared to the concentration inside the red blood cells, then it is a hypertonic solution. In this case, water would move out of the red blood cells, causing them to shrink and undergo crenation.

On the other hand, if the concentration of NaCl is lower in the 0.99% (m/v) NaCl solution compared to the concentration inside the red blood cells, then it is a hypotonic solution. In this case, water would move into the red blood cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst.

To determine the exact effect, you would need to compare the concentration of NaCl in the solution to the concentration inside the red blood cells. The total concentration of solutes inside the red blood cells is typically around 0.9%.