Question

1) What is the approx saline concentration of an animal red blood cell?

2) By what process does water move across a cell membrane & does this process require cellular energy?

3) Would you predict a red blood cell placed in a 5.00% saline solution to crenate, lyse, or stay normal? Explain why. What about a red blood cell placed in a 0.10% solution?

4) Why would 2 test tubes with 0.50% saline and 0.05% saline each, become clear after adding a drop of red blood cells?

Thank You!

Answer 1

1. 0.9% NaCl solution is isotonic with animal red blood cell.

2. Osmosis is a passive transport and does not require energy

3. When a RBC is placed in 5% saline solution, exosmosis takes place and it shrinks. Thus it crenates. On placing it in 0.10% solution it undergoes endosmosis and hence it undergoes lysis

4. Because in presence of 0.50% saline solution and 0.05% saline endosmosis takes place and cells rupture.