Outer hard shells of two eggs are removed. one of the eggs is placed in pure water and the other is placed in saturated solution of sodium chloride . what will be observed and why?
Answers
Answer: The egg placed in pure water remains as such and the other placed in saturated solution of sodium chloride shrinks.
Explanation: The solutions having same osmotic pressure and hence same molar concentration are termed as isotonic. If a solution is of lower osmotic pressure it is called as hypotonic with respect to the concentrate solution. The more concentrated solution is said to be hypertonic with respect to the dilute solution.
When egg is placed in pure water, it remains as such as there is no movement of solvent as the two are isotonic.
When egg is placed in saturated solution of sodium chloride, which is hypertonic to the contents in egg , the water will move from lower osmotic pressure in egg to higher osmotic pressure in sodium chloride through semipermeable membrane and thus the egg will shrink.