33.4k views
5 votes
If a sea star egg is taken from the ocean and put into elk lake would you expect the egg to shrink, swell, or stay the same?Why do you think that?

User Gariepy
by
8.3k points

2 Answers

3 votes
Its most likely going swell do to the egg being transferred to fresh water.
User Diego Correa
by
7.9k points
4 votes

Answer:

The egg will swell

Step-by-step explanation:

A sea star egg is usually found in the ocean water bodies and is surrounded by saline water conditions. When this sea star egg is taken out from the ocean and placed in a lake, which is entirely a freshwater body, the condition changes from hypertonic to hypotonic solution.

A hypotonic solution is usually defined as the solution in which the amount of solute is higher inside the cell compared to the outside of it. And on the other hand, a hypertonic solution refers to the solution in which the amount of solute is higher outside the cell compared to the inside of it.

Thus, the egg will eventually swell when placed in the lake.

User Yasin Bahtiyar
by
8.0k points