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Can you predict which way the free water molecules will diffuse?

Can you predict which way the free water molecules will diffuse?-example-1
User Jonas
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1 Answer

21 votes
21 votes

Outside of the cell, we have a concentration of 6 solutes and 12 free water (or 1 solute for every 2 free water molecules); and inside there are 3 solutes per 32 free water (near 1 solute per 11 free water molecules); which means that the solution outside the cell has a greater concentration of solutes, making it hypertonic.

This means that the osmotic pressure would make the water flow to the outside of the cell to balance the concentrations of the solutes on both sides.

User Kvark
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