Question

Cells have membranes that allow them to establish and maintain internal environments that are different from their external environements.

Describe the mechanisms that organisms use to maintain solute and water balance.

Answer 1

Explanation:

By diffusion of water or solutes, osmotic balance ensures that optimal concentrations of electrolytes and non-electrolytes are maintained in cells, body tissues, and in interstitial fluid. Solutes or water move across a semi-permeable membrane, causing solutions on either side of it to equalize in concentration.

Answer 2

Answer:

Balance is maintained in the environment by cycling of matter and energy between the living or biotic components and non-living or abiotic components of the environment. All these components interact and affect each other, resulting in the establishment of a dynamic but stable system. For example, oxygen is used up from the atmosphere by three processes-respiration, combustion and formation of of nitrogen. Photosynthesis is the only process that returns oxygen to the atmosphere. In order to maintain the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, we must have as many green plants as are required to maintain the level of oxygen.