Answer
a) If the cell membrane is permeable only to water but not to ions, then water will move from the cell into the beaker. This process occurs until the salt concentration (both in and out of the cell) reaches equilibrium or close to it. This, in turn, will cause the cell to lose water, which will ultimately shrink its size.
b) If the cell membrane of red blood cell was permeable to ions, then ions would diffuse from the beaker (high concentration) to the cell (low concentration) until equilibrium is reached.
Work Step by Step
a) If the cell membrane is permeable only to water but not to ions, then water will move from the cell into the beaker. This process occurs until the salt concentration (both in and out of the cell) reaches equilibrium or close to it. This, in turn, will cause the cell to lose water, which will ultimately shrink its size.
b) If the cell membrane of red blood cell was permeable to ions, then ions would diffuse from the beaker (high concentration) to the cell (low concentration) until equilibrium is reached.
