What characterizes a hypertonic solution?

A hypertonic solution is characterized by having a higher concentration of solutes compared to the interior of the cell. When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell to balance the solute concentrations on both sides of the cell membrane. This process, driven by osmosis, leads to a decrease in the volume of the cell as it loses water, often causing the cell to shrivel or undergo plasmolysis in plant cells.

This phenomenon is important in biological systems as it can influence cell behavior, function, and survival. The distinction between hypertonic, isotonic (equal concentration of solutes), and hypotonic (lower concentration of solutes) solutions is vital in understanding how cells interact with their environments, especially in medical and physiological contexts where fluid balance is critical.

Understanding hypertonicity is essential for topics such as cell biology, physiology, and biochemistry, where the movement of water and solutes across cell membranes is fundamental to many cellular processes.