An individual is constipated.They take magnesium salts to help loosen the stool.Why does this work?
A)Water moves from the intestines to the blood because the blood is hypertonic
B)Water moves from the intestines to the blood because the blood is hypotonic.
C)Water moves from the blood to the intestines because the blood is hypertonic
D)Water moves from the blood to the intestines because the blood is hypotonic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Magnesium salts work as osmotic laxatives. They draw water from the blood into the intestines, increasing the water content in the stool, which makes it easier to pass. This occurs because the presence of magnesium salts in the intestines creates a hypertonic solution there, pulling water from the relatively hypotonic blood into the intestines to balance the osmotic pressure.

An Individual Is Constipated