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AAT Bioquest

What does tonicity mean?

Posted June 11, 2024


Answer

Tonicity measures the ability of an extracellular solution to move water into or out of a cell by the process of osmosis. Only solutes that are unable to cross the membrane contribute to tonicity. The higher the tonicity, the greater the difference in the concentration of water and solutes. 

Additional resources

Biochemistry, Hypertonicity

Intracellular Ions

Molarity Calculator

Protein Concentration Calculator