When the number of water molecules outside the cell is greater than inside the cell which will most likely occur?

When the number of water molecules outside the cell is greater than inside the cell which will most likely occur?

If the water concentration inside the cell is higher then that of the medium (i.e. the medium is a hypertonic solution) the number of water molecules diffusing out will be more than that entering and the cell will shrink and shrivel due to osmosis.

What happens to the cell membrane in a hypertonic solution?

If you place an animal or a plant cell in a hypertonic solution, the cell shrinks, because it loses water ( water moves from a higher concentration inside the cell to a lower concentration outside ).

What happens when water flows freely through a cell membrane?

Diffusion of water across a membrane generates a pressure called osmotic pressure. If the pressure in the compartment into which water is flowing is raised to the equivalent of the osmotic pressure, movement of water will stop. In a hypotonic solution, water rushes into cells.

What will happen to a cell if the concentration of water molecules in the cell is higher than the concentration of water molecules in the surrounding medium?

When the particular concentration of water molecules present in the surrounding medium is higher than the present water molecule concentration within its cell, the cell tends to swell up.

When the concentration of free water molecules is higher outside a cell than inside the cell water will diffuse?

Molecules can diffuse across a cell membrane by dissolving in the phospholipid bilayer or by passing through pores in the membrane. When the solute concentration outside the cell is higher than that in the cytosol, the solution outside is hypertonic to the cytosol, and water will diffuse outside of the cell.

How does water go through the cell membrane?

Water transport across cell membranes occurs by diffusion and osmosis. The two main pathways for plasma-membrane water transport are the lipid bilayer and water-selective pores (aquaporins). Aquaporins are a large family of water pores; some isoforms are water-selective whereas others are permeable to small solutes.

Why is the movement of water across cell membranes important?

The movement of water across cell membranes is essential for cellular integrity but can cause problems. A small difference in solute concentration results in a very large osmotic pressure gradient across the cell membrane and the cell membranes of animal cells cannot withstand any appreciable pressure gradient.

Why does water swell up on one side of the membrane?

While it is natural for concentrations to try to be equal on either side of the membrane, sometimes this can be problematic. When the concentration of water outside the cell is too high, this can cause too much water to move into the cell, causing it to swell up.

Can a solute move from one side of a membrane to the other?

The solutes can’t move from one side to the other because of the membrane. But water can. Remember that molecules tend to go from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration on their own. Consider the water on either side of the membrane.

How does osmosis take place in a cell?

Osmosis, for the most part, happens instantaneously. Your cells are constantly working to maintain equilibrium. When the concentration of water on the outside of the cell is greater than the concentration on the inside, water will quickly move into the cell to even up the concentrations.