Question

drinking too much water during exercise can cause a condition in which the concentration of sodium in the blood is lower than normal.
what immediate response would the blood cells have in this condition?
cells swell as water moves into them.
cells swell as water moves out of them.
cells shrivel as water moves out of them.
cells shrivel as water moves into them.

Explanation:

This problem relates to osmosis in cells, a concept in Biology (Natural Science subfield). When blood sodium concentration is low, the blood has a lower solute concentration (hypotonic) than blood cells. By osmosis, water moves from an area of low solute (blood) to high solute (inside cells), causing cells to swell.

• Analyzing options:
• "Cells swell as water moves into them" matches osmosis here.
• "Cells swell as water moves out" is wrong (water moves in, not out for swelling).
• "Cells shrivel as water moves out" is for hypertonic (high solute outside), not here.
• "Cells shrivel as water moves into them" is contradictory (shrivel needs water out).

Answer:

A. Cells swell as water moves into them