A wound dressing contains a hydrogel designed to draw fluid from an infected cut without damaging surrounding skin cells. Fig. 1 shows the dressing placed o...
Question 1 Report
A wound dressing contains a hydrogel designed to draw fluid from an infected cut without damaging surrounding skin cells. Fig. 1 shows the dressing placed over the wound. The gel has a lower water concentration than the wound fluid because it contains dissolved substances. White blood cells remain in the blood vessels below the skin, where they can help fight disease.
(a) Identify the process by which water enters the hydrogel. [1]
(b) Explain why the hydrogel must be separated from the wound by a partially permeable layer. [1]
(c) Use the figure to identify the liquid surrounding the body cells in the wound. [1]
(d) Suggest why a dressing with an extremely concentrated gel could harm nearby skin cells. [1]
(e) Which blood cells help defend the body against disease? [1]
Answer Details
(a) Osmosis [1] (b) It allows water to pass but prevents larger particles / microbes or gel particles crossing [1] (c) Tissue fluid [1] (d) It would draw too much water out of skin cells, causing them to shrink [1] (e) White blood cells [1]
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