Hypertonic
Hypertonic (pronounced: hi-per-TON-ik) is a term used in medicine and biology to describe a solution that has a higher concentration of solutes outside the cell than inside the cell. This results in water moving out of the cell and into the solution in an attempt to equalize the concentration, a process known as osmosis.
Etymology
The term "hypertonic" comes from the Greek words "hyper," meaning over or above, and "tonos," meaning tension. In this context, it refers to the higher concentration of solutes in the solution compared to inside the cell.
Related Terms
- Hypotonic: A solution that has a lower concentration of solites outside the cell than inside the cell, causing water to move into the cell.
- Isotonic: A solution that has an equal concentration of solutes inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water.
- Osmosis: The process by which water molecules move from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration, in an attempt to equalize the concentrations.
- Solute: A substance that is dissolved in a solution.
- Solution: A mixture of two or more substances, in which one substance (the solute) is dissolved in another (the solvent).
See Also
- Cell (biology): The basic structural and functional unit of all organisms.
- Concentration gradient: The process of particles, which are sometimes called solutes, moving through a solution or gas from an area with a higher number of particles to an area with a lower number of particles.
- Diffusion: The process by which particles spread out from each other in a solution.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hypertonic
- Wikipedia's article - Hypertonic
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