Solutions with higher osmolarity than body fluids are called?

• A. Dialytic
• B. Hypertonic
• C. Isotonic
• D. Hypotonic

Answer: (B)

Osmolarity relative to body fluids determines how water moves across cell membranes. A solution with higher osmolarity than body fluids is hypertonic. In a hypertonic environment, water leaves the cell to balance the solute concentration outside, causing the cell to shrink. Isotonic solutions have the same osmolarity as body fluids, so there’s no net water movement, while hypotonic solutions have lower osmolarity, drawing water into cells and potentially causing them to swell. Dialytic describes dialysis-related processes, not osmolarity, so it isn’t the term used for this concept. Therefore, the correct term is hypertonic.