Red blood cell in 5% salt solution: hypertonic, shrinks and crenates

An example figure from the Osmosis and Tonicity generator.

A red blood cell with a few gray NaCl particles inside, in a box crowded with NaCl particles, with water arrows pointing out of the cell, labeled Hypertonic solution, then an arrow to the same cell shrunken with spiky edges, labeled Shrinks (crenated) — A red blood cell, 0.9% NaCl inside, in a 5% NaCl solution. The solution is hypertonic to the cell, so water moves out of it by osmosis, shown by the arrows. On the right the cell has shrunk and its edge has crinkled into spikes: it is crenated.

Edit this figure Download PNG

Editing opens it in Osmosis and Tonicity with these settings, to change anything and copy or download your own.

Answer key

The solution is hypertonic to the cell
Net water movement out of the cell
The cell loses water and shrinks (crenates)

Free to use in your tests, worksheets, slides or anything else, no credit needed. Public domain under CC0 1.0. How to reuse our figures

More Osmosis and Tonicity examples

Make your own in Osmosis and Tonicity →