What happens when a substance dissolves in the watery solution outside of a cell and equilibrium is disrupted?

Answer 1

Osmosis

Particles tend to diffuse down a concentration gradient to create a chemical equilibrium between the two sides. Osmosis is the diffusion of water down a concentration gradient through a partially permeable membrane. In the case of cells, that is the cell membrane that the water will pass through.

Le Chatelier's principle states that in chemical reactions, when one side is disturbed, the system will counteract that change to move towards the equilibrium.

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Answer 2

Madeline Andrews

When a substance dissolves in the watery solution outside of a cell and equilibrium is disrupted, water will move across the cell membrane to try to restore equilibrium. This movement of water can cause the cell to either shrink or swell, depending on the concentration of solutes inside and outside the cell.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.