Question

a human red blood cell is placed in a solution whose solute concentration is twice as great as the concentration of the cell cytoplasm. The cell membrane is selectively permeable allowing water but not the solutes to pass through. What will happen to the cell? a.) No change b.) the cell will shrivel because of osmosis c.) the cell will swell because of osmosis d.) the cell will shrivel because of active transport of water e.) the cell will swell because of active transport of water

Answer 1

B is the correct thing. The water molecules with the cell with move to hypertonic solution until an equilibrium is reach . But in this case solute concentration is twice that of the red blood cell therefore the protoplasm of the red blood cell will move further away from cell. Hence the process called crenation (shrivel )

Answer 2

the cell will shrivel because of osmosis, moving to the region of higher concentration, and it shrivels due lost of water