Okay, biology help. What is the difference between hypertonic and hypotonic?

Question

Yeah, I don't understand it at all.
So could someone dumb it down for me a bit?

Answer 1

"Hypo" denotes a lower concentration of solutes than the cytoplasm of a cell.
"Hyper" is a higher concentration of the same.

Answer 2

Part of the problem in understanding this, is that the terms are relative. The bag of 75% water/25% salt from above is hypertonic compared to the glass of 100% water, but it would be hypotonic compared to a 50%/50% mixture.

The things to remember is that a hypertonic solution has more 'stuff' in it. You can think of it as being all hyper because it's full of juice or sugar or caffeine or something.

The hypotonic solution has less 'stuff' in it, and therefore more water. If you envisage a hypodermic needle injecting water, that can help you remember which is which.

If you there is a way to mix the two solutions (such as across an osmotic barrier), then they will try to equalize the amount of 'stuff' in each solution. The 'stuff' will flow from the hypertonic solution to the hypotonic solution, while water will flow from hypotonic to the hypertonic solution.

If the barrier allows water to flow, but the holes are too small to allow the 'stuff', then the hypertonic solution will essentially suck water out of the hypotonic solution to achieve this balance.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Think in terms of the water (solvent) not the solute (like salt).
Water goes from high concentration (where you have the most) to low concentration (where you have the least).
Hypotonic situation: Let's say a CELL has a salt concentration of 1%. The water concentration of the cell is therefore 99% (99% water, 1% salt= 100%). If you place this cell in 100%pure (distilled) water, the water will move into the cell. 100% water outside to 99% inside. The cell will either swell or burst.
Hypertonic situation: Place the same kind of cell (with 1% salt, 99% water )in a water bath containing 3% salt. The water bath has 3% salt , therefore 97% water. Since water goes from high to low concentration, water will exit the cell ( cell 99% water to water bath which is only 97% water.) The cell will dehydrate and shrink.
This is a bit oversimplified, but is basically what occurs.
Practical application: To reduce swelling after dental work, you rinse in "salt water" (hypertonic). Same with raw fowl before cooking to get rid of excess fluids.
Also: Look up "dynamic equilibrium".

Answer 4

This is to do with osmosis

Osmosis is essentially to do with the diffusion of water

Classic osmosis set up - you have a container divided by a semipermeable membrane that allows passage of water, but not the solute (usually salt or sugar or something)

You have water in one side and a solution of something on the other side

The water molecules go back and forth across the membrane

The concentration of water is higher on the side without the solute and so water TENDS to move from the plain water section into the solute section and the level in that half of the container increases.

That's osmosis

So for example, if you have a carrot that's a bit limp and has lost some of its water, you can put it into a glass of water. The cells have a cell membrane that lets in water but not salts - ie. a semipermeable membrane. Water travels into the cells and the carrot "plumps up". It feels less limp and more solid. This is because the water is hypotonic - having less solutes in it than the carrot cells internal water.

If you took another carrot and put it into a glass of very very salty water, what would happen is that the water in the carrot cells will be drawn OUT by osmosis and the carrot will come out limp. This is because the solution you are using is hypertonic. It has more solutes in it than the carrot cells internal water.

See the wiki pages

Answer 5

Think of a cell, now throw that cell in a cup of 100% water. The Cell had 75% water and 25% salt.

Is the cell HYPO or HYPER tonic?

Ans: Cell is hypertonic since it contains more salt. Water will rush into the cell to even out the water content.

Answer 6

If you're talking Chemistry, here's the definitions:

Hypertonic: Having the higher osmotic pressure of two solutions.

Hypotonic: Having the lower osmotic pressure of two fluids.

Hyper always means more, hypo always means less. Hope this helps!