Cells regulate their internal mineral balance, which keeps just the right amount of water inside the cells. If there is too much water inside the cells, the cells can burst. With too little water inside the cells, they can collapse. Cells maintain a fluid balance where about two thirds of the water in the body is inside the cells and one third of the water is outside the cells.
Mineral salts, such as sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolve in water. Sodium chloride breaks apart into positively charged sodium ions and negatively charged chloride ions. Water itself has slightly different charges on the different atoms making up the water molecule (H2O), as shown in Figure 7-6. The two hydrogen
Figure 7-6 How salts dissolve in water.
atoms in water have slight positive charges that are attracted to the negatively charged chloride ions. The water molecules cluster around the chloride ions with the hydrogen sides of the water molecules facing the chloride ion. On the other side of the water molecule, the oxygen atom has a slight negative charge that is attracted to the positively charged sodium ions. The water molecules cluster around the sodium ions with the oxygen sides of the water molecules facing the sodium ion. This is how water dissolves salts. Ions are charged particles. Positive ions, such as sodium ions are called cations.
Negatively charged ions, such as chloride, are called anions. This is easier to remember if you think of the “t” in cations as being similar to a “+” sign. In electrolyte solutions, the number of positive ions always equals the number of negative ions. Electrolyte solutions in the body are always neutral. Each cell maintains this electrical neutrality by making sure that if a positive sodium ion leaves the cell, a positive ion, often potassium (K+), enters the cell at the same time. These ion concentrations are measured in milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Inside cells, normal values are 202 mEq/L, while the extracellular fluid has a normal value of 155 mEq/L. Some ions have a double charge: for instance, calcium (Ca++) and phosphate (HPO4 =).
Mineral salts, such as sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolve in water. Sodium chloride breaks apart into positively charged sodium ions and negatively charged chloride ions. Water itself has slightly different charges on the different atoms making up the water molecule (H2O), as shown in Figure 7-6. The two hydrogen
Figure 7-6 How salts dissolve in water.
atoms in water have slight positive charges that are attracted to the negatively charged chloride ions. The water molecules cluster around the chloride ions with the hydrogen sides of the water molecules facing the chloride ion. On the other side of the water molecule, the oxygen atom has a slight negative charge that is attracted to the positively charged sodium ions. The water molecules cluster around the sodium ions with the oxygen sides of the water molecules facing the sodium ion. This is how water dissolves salts. Ions are charged particles. Positive ions, such as sodium ions are called cations.
Negatively charged ions, such as chloride, are called anions. This is easier to remember if you think of the “t” in cations as being similar to a “+” sign. In electrolyte solutions, the number of positive ions always equals the number of negative ions. Electrolyte solutions in the body are always neutral. Each cell maintains this electrical neutrality by making sure that if a positive sodium ion leaves the cell, a positive ion, often potassium (K+), enters the cell at the same time. These ion concentrations are measured in milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Inside cells, normal values are 202 mEq/L, while the extracellular fluid has a normal value of 155 mEq/L. Some ions have a double charge: for instance, calcium (Ca++) and phosphate (HPO4 =).
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