A hypertonic solution is any external solution that has a higher concentration of solutes (like salts or sugars) and a lower concentration of water compared to the fluid inside your cells (like blood). When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell and into the solution, causing the cell to shrink. This happens because water naturally wants to move from areas of high water concentration to areas of low water concentration to try to balance things out.
Here are some examples of how hypertonic solutions are used:
- Medical Treatment: Hypertonic saline is used to treat hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood), to increase fluid volume in the blood, and to improve breathing in patients with cystic fibrosis.
- Food Preservation: Hypertonic solutions, such as brines and sugar solutions, are used to preserve food by drawing water out of bacteria and other microorganisms, inhibiting their growth.
- Osmosis: Hypertonic solutions are crucial for understanding the process of osmosis, which is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of high water concentration to an area of low water concentration.
