Question

scenario 10:
sports drinks contain similar
amounts of salts and sugars as
the human body in order to
hydrate.
q1. tonicity of the solution?
q2. how do the cells respond?
q3. what question could you ask
to confirm?

Explanation:

Q1

Tonicity compares solute concentrations. Sports drinks have solute (salts, sugars) levels similar to human body fluids (like blood, cytosol). Isotonic solutions have equal solute concentrations to the cell’s interior. Since sports drinks match the body’s solute levels, their tonicity is isotonic.

In an isotonic solution, the solute concentration inside and outside cells is equal. So, the net movement of water across the cell membrane (via osmosis) is zero. Cells maintain their normal shape and size—no net gain or loss of water, so they neither swell (from hypotonic) nor shrink (from hypertonic).

To confirm isotonicity, we can ask about solute concentration relative to cells (e.g., “What’s the solute concentration of the sports drink compared to a typical human cell’s cytoplasm?”) or test osmotic behavior (e.g., “If we place red blood cells in the sports drink, do they retain their normal shape?”). Such questions check if solute levels match (isotonic) or cause water movement (hypo/hypertonic).

Answer:

Isotonic

Q2