When a person in the hospital is given fluid intravenously (an I. V), the fluid is typically saline (salt) solution with about the same water concentration as human body tissue. Explain how the use of distilled water in place of this saline solution would be expected to upset the patient's homeostasis.

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Biology

Doodles

24 March, 08:03

When a person in the hospital is given fluid intravenously (an I. V), the fluid is typically saline (salt) solution with about the same water concentration as human body tissue. Explain how the use of distilled water in place of this saline solution would be expected to upset the patient's homeostasis.

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Kaylah Cox · Answer 1

If you flood the cells with too much water, your body is unable to maintain the correct electrolyte:water ratio. Things will always like to move to a less crowded area. This will cause the cell to burst, shrivel and die.