A hypertonic solution has a high concentration of solutes compared to another solution separated by a semipermeable membrane. Tonicity is related to osmosis, and only solutes that cannot pass through the membrane are considered. Hypertonicity can cause cells to lose water, while hypotonicity can cause them to explode. Tonicity has applications in water purification, scientific research, and cooking.
A hypertonic solution is one with a high concentration of solutes relative to another solution that is separated from it by a semipermeable membrane. The property of tonicity is often used to illustrate the biology of the body, taking as an example the solute concentration of surrounding cells and fluids. Tonicity is related to osmosis, where fluids flow back and forth across a semipermeable membrane; osmolarity differs from tonicity in that it considers the concentration of solutes that penetrate the membrane and those that do not, whereas tonicity considers only those that do not.
If a solution is hypertonic, it means that fluid will flow across the membrane and into the hypertonic solution until it reaches an isotonic state. In an isotonic state, solutions on both sides of the membrane have the same solute distribution. Conversely, with a hypotonic solution, the concentration of solutes is lower than that of a solution on the other side of a membrane, meaning that water will be drawn out of the hypotonic solution and into a hypertonic solution.
Only solutes that cannot pass through the membrane are taken into consideration in the assessment of tonicity. Solutes small enough to move across the membrane will naturally distribute themselves as needed in an attempt to homogenize the solution. In the classic example of hypertonicity, if the salts in the body fluids get too high, they cause the cells to lose water, causing them to shrivel up. This can happen with dehydration, in which the water lost by the body is not replaced, leading to an increase in salts. Conversely, people who have consumed too much water too quickly can develop hypotonic body fluids, forcing water into cells and potentially causing them to explode.
The hypertonic solution has applications outside the body. Osmosis is used in tasks such as water purification, scientific sample preparation, and scientific research. By manipulating the tonicity of a solution to make it a hypertonic solution, fluid flow across a membrane can be controlled, taking advantage of the fact that water moves from areas of low solute concentration to areas of high solute concentration in an attempt to homogenize out the osmotic pressure.
Illustrations of tonicity are commonly given in basic science lessons with the assistance of colored fluids that can be clearly traced as they move back and forth across a semipermeable membrane. Understanding tonicity is also important for tasks that might not immediately get people thinking about science. Cooking, for example, can result in tonicity as liquids are absorbed or expressed. For example, many cooks use the trick of sprinkling eggplant slices with salt to force them to squeeze out water before cooking; they have essentially created a hypertonic environment which causes fluid to drain from the eggplant in an attempt to equalize tonicity.
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