Final answer:
Oxygen will diffuse from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration due to simple diffusion, which is critical for cellular metabolism. Osmosis can cause cells to swell or shrink depending on the osmolarity of the environment, while hemoglobin in red blood cells facilitates oxygen transport, aiding in maintaining homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a cell is presented with a high oxygen concentration outside and a low concentration inside, oxygen will diffuse across the cell membrane from outside to inside through a process known as simple diffusion. This movement is in accordance with the concentration gradient until an equilibrium is reached. This is crucial in supplying oxygen for metabolic processes and removing carbon dioxide (CO₂), a metabolic byproduct.
Osmosis is another process that can be affected by solute concentration. If the outside environment is hypotonic (lower solute concentration than inside the cell), water will rush into the cell, potentially causing it to swell and burst. This condition is termed lysis. Conversely, if the environment is hypertonic (higher solute concentration outside), water will leave the cell, leading to crenation, where the cell shrinks and may malfunction.
The body's red blood cells utilize hemoglobin to enhance oxygen transport despite low solubility of O₂ in water. Hemoglobin allows blood to carry oxygen at concentrations much higher than it would be possible without such transport proteins. When cells are in an isotonic solution, they function optimally, maintaining homeostasis.