A solution with the same solute concentration as another solution is described as?

A solution with the same solute concentration as another solution is described as?

• A. Isotonic
• B. Hypertonic
• C. Hypotonic
• D. Osmosis

Answer: (A)

Tonicity describes the relative solute concentration between two solutions. When two solutions have the same solute concentration, they are isotonic to each other. In an isotonic situation, there is no net movement of water across a semipermeable membrane, so a cell remains the same size. For example, many cells are described as isotonic in 0.9% saline because the osmolarity matches that of the cell interior. If the surrounding solution were more concentrated (hypertonic), water would move out of the cell and it would shrink. If it were less concentrated (hypotonic), water would move into the cell and it could swell and lyse. Osmosis is the process by which water moves across the membrane, not the description of the relative concentrations themselves.

Tonicity describes the relative solute concentration between two solutions. When two solutions have the same solute concentration, they are isotonic to each other. In an isotonic situation, there is no net movement of water across a semipermeable membrane, so a cell remains the same size. For example, many cells are described as isotonic in 0.9% saline because the osmolarity matches that of the cell interior.

If the surrounding solution were more concentrated (hypertonic), water would move out of the cell and it would shrink. If it were less concentrated (hypotonic), water would move into the cell and it could swell and lyse. Osmosis is the process by which water moves across the membrane, not the description of the relative concentrations themselves.