Red Blood Cells Red blood cells will change shape in response to the evolving environment. For instance when distilled water is added to red blood cells, the red blood cells seem to expand. Why does this natural phenomenon cause red blood cells to appear considerably bigger after being exposed to distilled water? We tested two theories of why this happens. Theorem one is that molecules such as protein and polysaccharides are more concentrated inside the cell than outside the cell when the cell is in distilled water. These molecules therefore begin to move outside of the cell because of the process of diffusion, but are blocked by the cell membrane. As a result, these molecules push on the cell membrane and makes the cell appear bigger. Theorem two is that water molecules move into the cell because of the concentration of the water is greater outside the cell than it is inside the cell. My hypothesis is that theorem two is the real reason why red blood cells appear bigger in distilled water. …show more content…
We decided to test the volume of the starch after a 24 hour period. We decided to test the initial vs. final volume of starch because if theory one was correct then the red blood cell would appear bigger, but the volume of the starch would not rise. If theorem two was correct then the water would go into the red blood cells anthe the cells would be prodigious compared to the original size and the volume of the starch would rise. If theorem one was correct then the red blood cell would just appear herculean, but not be growing in volume. Overnight the starch volume increased by a little less than 1 ml proving our hypothesis that water molecules move into the cell because of the concentration of the water is greater outside the cell than it is inside the