Pass the Salt Please!
First fill two bowls with equal amounts of water. Then add 6 tsp to one of the bowls. Place a slice of potato in each container. After 15 minutes, remove each potato and observe their properties.
The potato in the pure water is now swollen and firm. The potato in the salt water is now shriveled and pliable. This demonstration illustrates cellular osmosis! A cell in the body will shrink when placed in a hypertonic solution. Water diffuses out of the cell to the more concentrated surrounding fluid. A cell will swell when placed in a hypotonic solution. Water diffuses into the cell to the area of higher concentration.
When someone has a diet of excess sodium, the sodium remains in the bloodstream. Osmosis occurs when water is drawn into the highly concentrated blood stream. This increases blood volume which increases pressure on the blood vessel walls. To accomodate for this pressure, vessel walls thicken and narrow to become stronger. The heart must work in overload to increase blood pressure so the blood can circulate through these narrow passages. So....stay healthy and PASS ON THE SALT!
