Biology · Foundation

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Cell membranesRunning
Osmosis chamber. Salt dissolved in the bath at 1.6 g/L. Bath concentration 0.16 %, Cell interior 0.9 %. Currently bath concentration is short by 0.74 %.TUNINGwater moves → more solute
t = 0.0s

Bath concentration

0.16%

Cell interior

0.9%

Bath concentration is short by 0.74 %

1.6 g/L

Osmosis chamber. Salt dissolved in the bath at 1.6 g/L. Bath concentration 0.16 %, Cell interior 0.9 %. Currently bath concentration is short by 0.74 %.

What has to balanceΨin=Ψout\Psi_{in} = \Psi_{out}

What is happening

You arrive at a tissue sample being kept alive during transport to a burns unit.

The cells are swelling and will burst. Their interior sits at 0.9% solute, the bath around them is far weaker, and every gram of salt dissolved per litre of bath raises it by 0.1%.