2007-11-03 15:38:32 · 8 answers · asked by keyahnoo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Ok firstly osmose isn't a word, you mean 'diffuse by the process of osmosis'. And also our cells don't have cell walls.
The ocean has a fairly negative water potential due to salts etc which causes water to diffuse into it. Our body prevents this by manipulating the water potential of our cells and if necessary will make our cells potential even less than that of the oceans by moving salt and other ions into them.
2007-11-03 15:45:30 · answer #1 · answered by k_l_k_l 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would happen to a fresh-water fish put into the ocean, but fish force a lot of water through porous membranes (gills) to extract oxygen, so a lot of osmosis would happen there.
Human skin is not very porous. You would lose some water from the skin, but not much from inside. If you drank sea water, you still wouldn't lose water by osmosis. But your kidneys would work hard to remove the excess salt, and that process consumes a lot of water from your body.
2007-11-04 01:32:15 · answer #2 · answered by Frank N 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would if we stayed in the ocean long enough.
But our bodies are remarkable adaptations - the skin is capable of responding to external stimuli (such as moisture) and regulates the absorption and release of water based on the internal balance of fluids.
2007-11-03 22:43:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too many cells block the pathway of water out and into our bodies. That's a reason why we have a layer of dead cells for skin in the front lines.
2007-11-03 22:41:07 · answer #4 · answered by Philip S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it seems like u are talking about osmosis where the solvent or the water moves to a higher concentration of solute. our cells are isotonic so there is a balance in our bodies. i guess ur not really swallowing water for it to affect our cells. if u do that ofcourse u get dehydrated and thas because of too much dissolved solute. so unless u do that ur not really gonna affect ur cells.
2007-11-03 22:43:08 · answer #5 · answered by cosmo_gurl 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We have 40 trillion cells in our body. Waaaay too many for osmosis to happen in every cell. It does happen to some skin cells but not to every cell. And to whoever that said cell walls HUMANS DONT HAVE CELL WALLS!!!!
And its osmosis, which is the diffusion of water.
2007-11-03 22:46:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It does, at a slow rate. That's why your fingers get wrinkled after you're in the water for too long.
2007-11-03 22:44:01 · answer #7 · answered by ss89 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cell walls.
2007-11-03 22:41:09 · answer #8 · answered by bubbasmith 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋