How do red blood cells react in distilled water?

All animal cells, and all other cells that do not have cell walls will absorb water and eventually burst, when placed in distilled water. read more

Distilled water is an example of a hypotonic solution, meaning it has less solute in it than a red blood cell. Your red blood cells would “want” to be in an isotonic solution, which would allow water to leave and exit the red blood cell, meaning the red blood cell would stay normal and not shrivel or expand. read more

The water will move into the red blood cells. This will keep on going until they burst open like a balloon that was blown up too much. When this happens, the cells die. This is called cell lysis, or in the specific case of red blood cells: hemolysis, and is irreversible. read more

When red blood cells are placed in distilled water, which is hypotonic compared to the solution contained within the cells' membranes, the distilled water will diffuse into the red blood cells and cause them to burst. read more