119k views
21 votes
If a red blood cell is placed in pure water what will happen?

User Mousomer
by
4.3k points

2 Answers

7 votes

Answer:

Red blood cells placed in a solution with a higher water concentration compared to their contents (eg pure water) will gain water by osmosis, swell up and burst. Water will diffuse from a higher water concentration outside the cell to a lower water concentration inside the cell.

User Oekopez
by
3.8k points
5 votes

Answer: it would swell up and Burst due to gaining osmosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

User Jendrusk
by
4.4k points