Question

Animal cells are most likely to experience damage froma. an aqueous solution.b. an isotonic solution.c. a hypotonic solution.d. a hypertonic solution.e. None of these.

Answer 1

Isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic refers to the concentration of solutes present in a solution in comparison to another solution.

In this case, they refer to a solution that surrounds animal cells.

When a solution is isotonic, it means that has the same concentration as the other, in this case, the cytosol of the cell, so there is no water flow across the cell membrane.

When the solution is hypotonic, water diffuses to the interior of the cell, which has a greater concentration of solutes, and in an animal cell this can cause the rupture of the cell, in opposition to what would happen in a plant cell, where the cell wall prevents this from happening.

And in the case of a hypertonic solution, as the concentration of solutes is greater outside the cell, the water leaves the cell.

This means that, from the options, a hypotonic solution can be more harmful to an animal cell (option C).