Question

Which of the following best explains what is causing the red blood cells in solution 1 to change size over the five-minute period?

A) Osmosis
B) Temperature change
C) Pressure change
D) Chemical reaction

Answer 1

The red blood cells in solution 1 are changing size over the five-minute period due to osmosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The red blood cells in solution 1 are changing size over the five-minute period due to osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration across a selectively permeable membrane, such as the cell membrane of the red blood cells. In this case, the solution surrounding the red blood cells may have a higher solute concentration, causing water to move out of the cells and resulting in a decrease in cell size.