The effects of osmotic water shifts on red blood cells (RBC) can be observed experimentally by exposing
Question:
The effects of osmotic water shifts on red blood cells (RBC) can be observed experimentally by exposing the cells to hypertonic and hypotonic saline solutions. The inner fluid of RBCs is isotonic with 0.16 M NaCl. When RBCs are placed in a hypertonic solution, water leaves the cells, causing them to shrink. When RBCs are placed in a hypotonic solution, water enters the cells, causing rapid swelling, which may result in the bursting of some cells. An liquor of 1.0E5 RBCs is added to 1.0 L of water with 0.20 M NaCl. Assume that no metabolic activity is occurring in the RBCs to generate/consume water, starting with drawing a fully labelled diagram for the process, write two accounting equations on the water and NaCl in the RBC as functions of time. Will the size of this system change?