There are three types of solutions to diffusion: isotonic, hypertonic, or hypotonic. When the solutions have the same concentration of solutes, they are isotonic. When the solutions differ in their solute concentration, the solution with more solute is hypertonic to the other solution. The solution that has less solute is hypotonic …show more content…
Cells must move materials through membranes in order to maintain homeostasis. The cellular environment is aqueous, indicating that the solutes dissolve in the solvent, water. When a cell is hypertonic, or hypotonic, to its surroundings, it tries to make concentration of solution inside and outside itself equal. However, the solutes are too big to pass the cell membranes without the help of channel proteins, or transport proteins. Water may freely pass through the membrane by osmosis, which requires no energy. Thus, the cell starts to take in, or release, water until it is isotionic to its