Table of Contents
What is tonicity and how does this affect the function of the cell?
Tonicity describes how an extracellular solution can change the volume of a cell by affecting osmosis. A solution’s tonicity often directly correlates with the osmolarity of the solution. Osmolarity describes the total solute concentration of the solution.
What is tonicity of a cell?
Tonicity. Tonicity is the capability of a solution to modify the volume of cells by altering their water content. The movement of water into a cell can lead to hypotonicity or hypertonicity when water moves out of the cell.
How does tonicity affect the cell volume?
The tonicity of a solution is related to its effect on the volume of a cell. A hypotonic solution causes a cell to swell, whereas a hypertonic solution causes a cell to shrink. Although it is related to osmolality, tonicity also takes into consideration the ability of the solute to cross the cell membrane.
What is the concept of tonicity?
Tonicity is defined as the ability of a solution surrounding a cell to cause that cell to gain or lose water (Urry et al., 2017). While osmolarity is an absolute quantity, tonicity is relative. If two solutions have the same concentration of nonpenetrating solutes, they are considered isotonic.
What is tonicity and why is it important in the movement of water and other solutes?
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Osmosis | The net movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration |
| Tonicity | The ability of an extracellular solution to make water move into or out of a cell by osmosis |
How does tonicity impact nutrient intake in cells?
Tonicity refers to the concentration of carbohydrates (sugars) and electrolytes in a solution compared to the concentration of these components in human blood. This, in turn, affects how quickly the body can absorb its fluids and nutrients, impacting hydration and energy levels differently depending on tonicity.
What is tonicity in biology quizlet?
Tonicity. A description of the relative solute concentration in a solution as compared to another solution. Equilibrium. The condition that exists in system when there is a relatively equal distribution of a particular molecule. Hypertonic.
How does tonicity influence osmosis?
“Tonicity is the ability of a solution to affect the fluid volume and pressure in a cell. If a solute cannot pass through a plasma membrane, but remains more concentrated on one side of the membrane than on the other, it causes osmosis.”
What is tonicity in cells quizlet?
Tonicity. A description of the relative solute concentration in a solution as compared to another solution. Equilibrium. The condition that exists in system when there is a relatively equal distribution of a particular molecule.