The blood plasma of a man who drinks saltwater will become ________ to his red blood cells, whereas the red blood cells will be ________ to the blood plasma.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a person drinks saltwater, the concentration of salt in the blood plasma increases. This makes the blood plasma hypertonic (having a higher concentration of solutes) relative to the red blood cells. As a result, water will move out of the red blood cells by osmosis, causing them to become shriveled or crenated. Therefore, the blood plasma will be hypertonic to the red blood cells, and the red blood cells will be hypotonic to the blood plasma.

The Blood Plasma of a Man Who Drinks Saltwater Will