Same osmosis, two different cells

Water moves by osmosis towards the higher solute concentration · both cells start with the same solute concentration inside · for a red blood cell, isotonic is about 0.9% NaCl

Set the solution

Solute concentration of the solution, compared with the cell contents 70%

100% = isotonic. Below 100% is hypotonic, above 100% is hypertonic.

The two cells in this solution

Solution compared with the cell

Tonicity of the solution
Solute: outside − inside
Higher water concentration
Net water movement

What happens to each cell

Red blood cell (no wall)
Plant cell (cell wall)
Red blood cell volume

Move the slider or pick a solution to begin.

Isotonic: no net water movement
Hypotonic: the red cell bursts, the wall saves the plant cell
Hypertonic: the plant cell plasmolyses