Having a lower concentration of solute than another solution is described as

• A. Hypertonic
• B. Hypotonic
• C. Isotonic
• D. Energy

Answer: (B)

Tonicity describes how solute concentrations compare across a membrane. A solution with a lower solute concentration than another is described as hypotonic. In osmosis, water moves from the side with more water (lower solute) to the side with more solute (higher solute) to try to balance concentrations. So a hypotonic environment surrounds a point with less solute, and water tends to enter that area from the surrounding solution, which can cause swelling in cells (and, in plants, create tugor pressure against the cell wall). Isotonic would be equal concentrations, and hypertonic would have the higher solute concentration. Energy isn’t required for osmosis itself.