Question

If the Na⁺ concentration intracellularly (inside) the red blood cell is 0.9% and the Na⁺ concentration in an intravenous (IV) solution is 2.0%, what will happen to the red blood cells as the solution flows into the blood? (4 points)

Group of answer choices

They will swell and burst

They will remain unchanged

They will shrink as the Na⁺ ions leave the blood cells

They will shrink from loss of water

Answer 1

Option last is the correct answer.

Here the concentration of Na+ inside the cell is 0.9% and the concentration of Na+ in intravenous solution is 2.0% which means the intravenous solution is hypertonic to the solution inside the cell. Thus, when intravenous solution will flow into the blood the fluid from the cell will come out by the process of diffusion as there is a semipermeable membrane is present around the cell and hence the cells will shrink due to loss of water.

Note: Osmosis is a process in which movement of water occurs from lower concentrated solution to higher concentrated solution if both the solutions have been separated by a semipermeable membrane.