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What happens to blood cells in a 0.0 Osmoles/L solution?

A) Hemolysis
B) Crenation
C) No change
D) Clotting

User CEich
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Blood cells in a 0.0 Osmoles/L solution will undergo hemolysis due to the influx of water trying to balance the solute concentration inside and outside the cell, causing the cells to swell and burst.

Step-by-step explanation:

When red blood cells are placed in a 0.0 Osmoles/L solution, which is essentially pure water, they are exposed to a hypotonic environment. In such a scenario, water will rush into the cells because there is a higher concentration of solutes within the red blood cells compared to the surrounding environment. As a result, the red blood cells will undergo hemolysis: they swell up with water and eventually burst due to the increase in volume beyond what the fixed surface area of their cell membranes can accommodate. This process of hemolysis is illustrative of what happens in a hypotonic solution, because the osmotic balance between the inside and the outside of the cell is disrupted, causing the water to flow into the cell in an attempt to equalize the solute concentration.

User Matt Woelk
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