Osmosis Practice Worksheet
Name
Per.
For each of the following problems:
1) Read the description for the concentrations of the cell and solution.
2) Use the description to draw the solution in the “Before” column. Use blue circles for solvent and red triangles for
solute. Remember that triangles can’t move. Draw 10 total circles/triangles in the cell and 10 total in the solution.
3) In the “After” column, draw what the solution would look like after osmosis has taken place.
4) Finally, determine whether the original solution was a hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic solution.
Description
1) Cell: 30% Solute
a. ____% Solvent
Before
After
Type of Solution
Solution: 50% Solvent
b. ____% Solute
2) Cell: 20% Solute
a. ____% Solvent
Solution: 70% Solvent
b. ____% Solute
3) Cell: 20% Solute
a. ____% Solvent
Solution: 80% Solvent
b. ____% Solute
4) Cell: 30% Solute
a. ____% Solvent
Solution: 90% Solvent
b. ____% Solute
5) Cell: 60% Solute
a. ____% Solvent
Solution: 30% Solvent
b. ____% Solute
6) Cell: ____% Solute
____% Solvent
Isotonic
Solution: ____% Solvent
____% Solute
7) Cell: ____% Solute
____% Solvent
Hypotonic
Solution: ____%Solvent
____% Solute
8) Cell: ____% Solute
____% Solvent
Solution: ____%Solvent
____% Solute
Hypertonic
Read each of the following situations. Determine whether the solution described is hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic.
______________________________ 1. You drink the same amount of water as you lost sweating.
______________________________ 2. You put salt on a snail.
______________________________ 3. You water a plant with salt water.
______________________________ 4. You are thirsty from eating two bags of potato chips.
______________________________ 5. You put mushy carrots in water to plump them back up.
______________________________ 6. You add salt to mushrooms while cooking, and a bunch of
water ends up in the pan.
______________________________ 7. You swim in your backyard pool for too long.
______________________________ 8. You drink a bunch of seawater because you’re thirsty.
______________________________ 9. You drink a lot of water and try not to pee.
______________________________ 10. You are not thirsty and don’t have to pee.
Think About It: For each of the following questions, think about all the concepts we have discussed in class. Using the
information from the cell structures unit, write one or two sentences to answer each question.
1.
Are plant cells or animal cells less likely to burst in a hypotonic solution? Explain why.
2. Are animals most comfortable and able to function more efficiently in a hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic
solution? Explain why.
3. Particularly in plant cells, which organelle expands when the plant is in a hypotonic solution? Explain why
this is the case, and how it effects the outward appearance of the plant.
4. Using the information from question 3, what would happen to the plant if you placed it in a hypertonic
solution? Explain how it affects the organelle and the outward appearance of the plant.