Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A hypotonic solution is one where the concentration of solutes outside the cell is lower than that inside the cell, leading to water moving into the cell. This can cause cells to swell and potentially burst if excess water is not managed.
The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration.
Isotonic: A condition where the concentrations of solutes outside and inside the cell are equal, resulting in no net movement of water across the cell membrane.
Hypertonic: A solution where the concentration of solutes outside the cell is higher than that inside, causing water to move out of the cell and potentially leading to cell shrinkage