Practical Application of Tonocity

Practical Application of Tonocity:

Tonicity is a measure of the water pressure between inside and outside of a cell. The water pressure is created when there are two different solution concentrations inside and outside of the cell.

If there is exactly the same concentration inside and outside the cell there will be no movement of water. However, if the concentration is higher inside the cell (as it is in a hypotonic solution), water will want to move into the cell by the process of osmosis. I this situation the cell will fill with water and eventually explode.

This concept has practical application because it is why patients are given 0.9% saline solution when they receive an IV in the hospital. This is the concentration the solution needs to be because in order to have the concentration inside and outside the cell be the same.

If you accidentally gave a patient a IV drip that was distilled water you would create a hypotonic solution and the patients red blood cells would explode and die.