AMOEBA SISTERS: VIDEO RECAP OSMOSIS Do you like gummy bears? We do! They are one of our favorite snacks, though we try to) eat them in moderation because they are high in sugar. Consider that your sister is in a foul mood and decides to dump your gummy bears in your ice water about 30 minutes before you get home. The Gummy Bear Mystery Viewpoints: 6. Whose viewpoint is correct in the A) Your sister said that the sugar has a good defense! Defend your viewpoint column? A good answer left the gummy bears, because the gummy bears answer, and also give reasons why were hypertonic compared the other explanations are incorrect. to the water. B) Your friend Joe said that water traveled into the gummy bears, because the gummy bears were hypertonic compared to the water. The gummy bears are greatly enlarged by the time you get home! Your sister and some friends have different viewpoints for what happened. Draw a diagram below showing the enlarged gummy bears in a cup of water. Place the labels “hypertonic” and “hypotonic” in your diagram. One label should be for the gummy bears and one label should be for the water. C) Your friend Suzy said the sugar went into the gummy bears, because the gummy bears were hypotonic compared to the water. D) Your friend will said that water traveled into the gummy bears by osmosis, because the gummy bears were hypotonic compared to the water. 5. Hypertonic, Hypotonic, or Isotonic? Oh My! These red blood cells have all been placed in different solutions! Based on their appearance after being placed in these solutions for a period of time, place on each line (A) for hypertonic, (B) for hypotonic, or (C) for isotonic. 7. The cells are 8. The cells are 9. The cells are compared to the compared to the compared to the solution.
The correct answer and explanation is:
To understand the mystery of the gummy bears and the red blood cells’ behavior in solutions, let’s address each viewpoint, question, and explanation:
6. Whose viewpoint is correct?
Correct Answer: D) Your friend Will said that water traveled into the gummy bears by osmosis because the gummy bears were hypotonic compared to the water.
Explanation:
- The gummy bears enlarge because water moves into them via osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water from an area of low solute concentration (hypotonic) to an area of high solute concentration (hypertonic).
- The gummy bears are hypertonic compared to the surrounding water. They contain a high concentration of sugar, which is a solute. The water outside is hypotonic (less solute). Water moves into the gummy bears to balance the concentration, causing them to swell.
Why the other viewpoints are incorrect:
- A (Your sister): Incorrect because the sugar inside the gummy bears does not defend them. Instead, it creates the hypertonic environment that attracts water into the gummy bears.
- B (Joe): Incorrect because Joe’s explanation misunderstands the direction of water movement. While water does move into the gummy bears, it is because the gummy bears are hypertonic, not the other way around.
- C (Suzy): Incorrect because the gummy bears are not hypotonic compared to the water. The water moves into the gummy bears, not sugar, because of the osmotic pressure created by the gummy bears’ higher solute concentration.
7–9. Red blood cells in different solutions
- Hypertonic solution (A): The cells shrink or crenate because water moves out of the cell into the solution with a higher solute concentration.
- Hypotonic solution (B): The cells swell or lyse because water moves into the cells from the solution with a lower solute concentration.
- Isotonic solution (C): The cells remain the same because the solute concentration inside and outside the cells is equal, leading to no net water movement.
Diagram for Gummy Bears
- Draw a cup with enlarged gummy bears labeled “hypertonic.”
- Label the surrounding water as “hypotonic.”
- Show arrows pointing inward to the gummy bears to represent water moving into them by osmosis.
Summary
Osmosis explains the behavior of both gummy bears and red blood cells when placed in solutions of differing solute concentrations. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a hypotonic solution (lower solute concentration) to a hypertonic solution (higher solute concentration).
In the gummy bear mystery, the correct viewpoint is Will’s (D). The gummy bears are hypertonic due to their high sugar content. Water from the surrounding hypotonic ice water moves into the gummy bears, causing them to swell significantly. This is evident as the gummy bears become enlarged over time. The other explanations are incorrect because they misidentify the direction of osmosis or misunderstand the solute concentrations.
Similarly, the behavior of red blood cells in solutions reflects osmotic principles:
- In a hypertonic solution, red blood cells shrink as water exits the cell.
- In a hypotonic solution, red blood cells swell or burst as water enters the cell.
- In an isotonic solution, there is no net water movement, and the cells maintain their shape.
Understanding osmosis is vital in biological processes, as it governs water balance in cells and tissues. Misbalances can lead to cell damage or dysfunction, emphasizing the importance of isotonic environments in medical and physiological contexts.