Difference Between Hypotonic and Hypertonic Solution

Hypotonic and Hypertonic solutions are two types of solutions based on osmolarity. A solution is comprised of two types of components: solute and solvent. A hypotonic solution has more solvent and less solute than a cell, causing water to enter the cell and leading to cell swelling. A hypertonic solution has more solute and less solvent than a cell, causing water to leave the cell and leading to cell shrinkage. Therefore, the difference between hypotonic and hypertonic solutions is the concentration of solutes. Understanding the effects of these solutions is important in various fields including biology, medicine, and environmental science.

Difference Between Hypotonic and Hypertonic Solution

The differences between hypotonic and hypertonic solutions are as follows:

Characteristic	Hypotonic Solution	Hypertonic Solution
Definition	A hypotonic solution is a solution which has a low solute concentration.	A hypertonic solution is a solution which has a high solute concentration.
Osmotic Pressure	Lower osmotic pressure outside the cell.	Higher osmotic pressure outside the cell.
Concentration of Solute	Lower concentration of solute outside the cell.	Higher concentration of solute outside the cell.
Cell Movement	Water moves into the cell, causing it to swell or burst (lysis).	Water moves out of the cell, causing it to shrink (creation).
Effect on Cells	Cells may gain water and expand (Endosmosis)	Cells may lose water and shrink (Exosmosis)
Example in Biology	Plant cells in a hypotonic solution may become turgid.	Red blood cells in a hypertonic solution may undergo crenation.
Harmful to Cells	Can be harmful to animal cells if excessive swelling occurs	Can be harmful to cells, as excessive water loss may lead to cell death
Examples in Nature	Freshwater environments are often hypotonic.	Seawater is hypertonic compared to the internal environment of most marine organism.

What is Hypotonic Solution?

A hypotonic solution is a solution which has a less solute concentration such as ions, salts, or other molecules compared to the inside of the cell. In a hypotonic solution, water tends to move into cells. This take place due to osmosis, the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In plant cell, as the water enters the cell it gains turgor pressure and provide support to the plant. Plant cell do not burst since they have a rigid cell wall and additional water is taken up by vacuole present in the centre of the cell. In animals as the water enters the cell, it swells and cause lysis of cell.

Examples of hypotonic solution

Few examples of hypotonic solution are mentioned below:

• Freshwater bodies such as lakes and rivers, are hypotonic as compared to the cells of aquatic organisms.
• The soil around plant roots contains a hypotonic solution, causing water to move into plant cells.
• To treat dehydration in the patients, hypotonic solutions such as 0.45% saline are used.

What is Hypertonic Solution?

A hypertonic solution has a high concentration of solutes such as ions, salts, or other molecules than that of the inside of the cell. In a hypertonic solution, water tends to move out of cells. This is because of osmosis, where water moves across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In animals as the water leaves the cell, the cell membrane wrinkles. The condition is called crenation. In plant cell hypertonic solution causes plasmolysis where the cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall due to the loss of water.

Examples of Hypertonic Solution

Few examples of hypertonic solution are mentioned below:

• Ocean have a high solute concentration as compared to the cells of aquatic organisms.
• Hypertonic saline solutions are in hospitals to draw water out of cells to reduce brain swelling, or to treat certain electrolyte imbalances.
• Solutions with a high concentration of sugar, such as those used in food preservation.

Similarities Between Hypotonic and Hypertonic

Similarities between hypotonic and hypertonic solutions are as follows:

• Hypotonic and hypertonic are two types of extracellular fluids that are described in terms of osmolarity.
• Both solutions have solvent molecules and solute molecules.
• In both solutions, there is a net movement of solvent molecules.

Conclusion – Difference between hypotonic and hypertonic solution

Hypotonic and hypertonic are two types of solutions based on tonicity or osmolarity. A hypotonic solution has a low concentration of solute compared to the inside of the cell. Therefore, solvent or water molecules move from the hypotonic solution to the cell. As the water moves into the cells, cells swell. On the other hand, a hypertonic solution has a high concentration of solute compared to the cell. Therefore, solvent or water molecules move from the cell to the solution. As a result, cells tend to shrink. Understanding hypotonic and hypertonic solutions is essential in various biological and medical contexts as it provides insights into cell behavior and various physiological processes.

FAQs on Hypotonic and Hypertonic Solution

What is Hypotonic and Hypertonic Solution?

A hypotonic solution is a solution which has a less solute concentration compared to the inside of the cell while a hypertonic solution has a high concentration of solutes than that of the inside of the cell.

Explain the Hypotonic and Hypertonic Solutions Difference Based on Osmosis.

On the basis of osmosis due to concentration gradient the water moves into the cell in hypotonic solution causing cell swelling or lysis and in hypertonic solution water leaves the cell causing cell shrinkage or crenation.

What are the Effects of Hypotonic Solutions on Cells?

Hypotonic solution in animal cell cause the water to enter the cell causing cell swelling or lysis. However, plant cells do not burst since they have a rigid cell wall and extra water is taken up by the vacuole present in the centre of the cell.

What are Hypotonic Solutions Examples?

Example of hypotonic solution are natural freshwater environments, such as lakes and rivers, certain intravenous (IV) solutions with lower solute concentrations than blood plasma, and normal saline.

What is an Example of Hypertonic?

Example of hypertonic solution includes concentrated salt water solution, lemonade, orange juice, alcoholic beverages and 3% Normal Saline (3% NaCl).

Which Types of Cells Prefer a Hypotonic Solution?

Plant cells prefer hypotonic solutions. In hypotonic solution water enters the plant cell that help it to maintain turgor pressure and keeps the cells firm and rigid.

Does a Hypertonic Solution Contain More Water?

No, the hypertonic solution contains less water and more solute than the cell, causing water to move out of cells. It leads to cell shrinkage.