What will happen to a red blood cell (RBC), which has an internal ion concentration of about 0.9 percent, if it is placed into a beaker of pure water?

Question

Biology

Deven Sparks

5 May, 01:37

What will happen to a red blood cell (RBC), which has an internal ion concentration of about 0.9 percent, if it is placed into a beaker of pure water?

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Answers (1)

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Rhianna Cohen · Answer 1

It wil swell and burst

Explanation:

"pure" water is only H2O so there are no solutes, because of osmosis, water will enter the red blood cell that does contain solutes until the cell and the surrounding environment (in this case the water) are iso-osmotic, this will never happen though because the water contains no solutes.