BRAINCAKEOsmotic Concentrations
Solutions can be described by comparing their water potential with that of a cell:
• Isotonic: the solution has the same water potential as the cell, so there is no net movement of water.
• Hypotonic: the solution has a higher water potential (it is more dilute) than the cell, so water enters the cell.
• Hypertonic: the solution has a lower water potential (it is more concentrated) than the cell, so water leaves the cell.
These terms describe the solution relative to a particular cell, so the same solution can be hypotonic to one cell and hypertonic to another.
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Key terms in this lesson
- water potential
- A measure of the tendency of water molecules to move out of a solution; water moves from a higher to a lower (more negative) water potential.
More in Cell Transport Mechanisms
- Facilitated Diffusion
- Water Potential ψ
- Osmosis
- Modelling Osmosis
- Osmosis in Animal Cells
- Water Potential in Plant Cells
- Osmosis in Plant Cells
- Turgor Pressure (P)
All 18 lessons in Cell Transport Mechanisms · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics