A red blood cell in a hypertonic solution will appear
shriveled or crenated.
When a red blood cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, it will undergo a specific appearance change. The hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the cytoplasm of the red blood cell. As a result, water from within the cell will move out of the cell in an attempt to balance the solute concentration on both sides of the cell membrane. This process of water movement is called osmosis.
As water leaves the red blood cell, it will shrink and appear crenated or shriveled. The cytoplasm inside the cell loses volume, causing the shape to change from a concave disc to a wrinkled and distorted shape. This appearance change is due to the water leaving the cell, causing it to become dehydrated.
In summary, when a red blood cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, it will appear shrunken and crenated.
shrunken or shriveled. To understand why a red blood cell appears shrunken in a hypertonic solution, let's first understand the concept of tonicity.
Tonicity refers to the concentration of solutes (such as salts or sugars) in a solution compared to the concentration of solutes inside a cell. There are three main types of tonicity: isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic.
In an isotonic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is equal to the concentration inside the cell. As a result, there is no net movement of water, and the cell maintains its normal shape and size.
In a hypertonic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is higher than the concentration inside the cell. This creates a concentration gradient, causing water molecules to move from inside the cell to outside the cell in an attempt to equalize the concentration. As a result, the cell loses water, leading to shrinkage or shrinking of the cell.
A red blood cell, also known as an erythrocyte, has a semi-permeable membrane that allows water to freely pass through, but restricts the movement of solutes. When placed in a hypertonic solution, the higher concentration of solutes outside the cell causes water to diffuse out of the cell, leading to the cell shrinking or becoming shrunken.
To observe this phenomenon in a laboratory or experiment, you can set up an experiment with a hypertonic solution, such as a solution with a higher concentration of salt or sugar, and place a red blood cell in it. Over time, you will be able to see the red blood cell appear shrunken or shriveled due to the loss of water.