Here's a breakdown:
* Solute: A substance that dissolves in a solvent. Examples include salt, sugar, and proteins.
* Solvent: A substance that dissolves a solute. Water is the most common solvent in biological systems.
* Solution: A mixture of a solute dissolved in a solvent.
When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution:
* Water moves out of the cell to try and equalize the concentration of solutes.
* The cell shrinks or crenates as water leaves.
Think of it like this:
Imagine a cell is like a balloon filled with water. When you place it in a hypertonic solution (like a salty bath), water will rush out of the balloon (cell) to try and make the outside solution less salty. This makes the balloon shrink.
Examples of hypertonic solutions:
* Seawater is hypertonic to freshwater fish.
* A concentrated salt solution is hypertonic to red blood cells.
Key takeaway: Hypertonic solutions have a higher concentration of solutes, causing water to move out of cells and leading to cell shrinkage.