What Happens When You Drink SeaWater?

Summary

The video explains why drinking seawater is harmful and how our bodies process water. It discusses osmosis and how drinking seawater, due to its high salt content, causes our cells to release water, worsening dehydration. Conversely, drinking too much pure water can cause cells to swell, leading to dangerous health issues. The video offers a solution for those stranded on a deserted island: distillation, a process that removes salt from seawater, making it safe to drink. The video concludes with a suggestion to subscribe for more informative content.

Takeaways

• 😀 71% of the Earth is covered in water, but only 2% of it is fresh and drinkable.
• 😀 Drinking seawater becomes harmful because it disrupts the balance of water in your cells.
• 😀 Osmosis is the process where water moves from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated one through a semi-permeable membrane.
• 😀 Normally, the salt concentration inside and outside your cells is balanced, allowing water to move in and out freely.
• 😀 Drinking seawater increases the concentration of salt outside your cells, causing them to expel water in an effort to restore balance.
• 😀 Even if you're dehydrated, drinking seawater causes your body to lose more water, worsening dehydration.
• 😀 Consuming too much fresh water causes the opposite effect—water moves into your cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst.
• 😀 Severe over-consumption of water can lead to dangerous conditions like seizures, coma, and death.
• 😀 Distillation is a method to extract fresh water from seawater by evaporating the water and then condensing the vapor into clean water.
• 😀 Distilled water from seawater is safe to drink because it is free of salt and other impurities.
• 😀 For survival in a deserted island, distillation can be used as a reliable way to obtain drinkable water from the ocean.

Q & A

Why is drinking sea water harmful to humans?

Drinking sea water is harmful because the high salt content increases the salinity outside the cells in your body, which causes water to be forced out of your cells. This results in further dehydration, even if you're already dehydrated.

What is osmosis, and how does it relate to drinking sea water?

Osmosis is the process where water moves from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration through a semi-permeable membrane. In the case of sea water, the high salt concentration outside the cells causes water to move out of the cells to maintain balance, worsening dehydration.

What happens to your cells when you drink too much sea water?

When you drink too much sea water, the saltiness outside your cells increases rapidly. To restore balance, the cells release more water, which leads to increased urination and further dehydration.

Can drinking pure water also be harmful?

Yes, drinking too much pure water can cause the opposite effect of drinking sea water. It dilutes the salt concentration outside your cells, causing water to flow into the cells, which can make them swell and burst. This can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.

What is an isotonic state, and why is it important?

An isotonic state occurs when the saltiness inside and outside the cells is balanced. This balance allows the body to function properly and prevents water from moving in or out of the cells in harmful amounts.

How does distillation work to create fresh drinking water?

Distillation works by heating sea water until it evaporates. The evaporated water vapor is then trapped, cooled, and condensed back into liquid form. This process separates the salt from the water, making it safe to drink.

What can you do if stranded on a deserted island with no fresh water?

If stranded with no fresh water, you can extract fresh water from sea water by using the process of distillation. By heating the sea water and capturing the vapor, you can obtain pure water that is safe to drink.

How does the process of osmosis affect the way our body handles water intake?

Osmosis controls the movement of water in and out of our cells based on the concentration of substances like salt. This ensures that the cells maintain a balance of water, but excessive intake of saltwater or freshwater can disrupt this balance and cause harm.

Why can't our bodies process the salt in sea water?

Our bodies cannot process the salt in sea water because the concentration of salt is too high for our kidneys to filter out effectively. As a result, drinking sea water makes it harder to maintain hydration and can cause more dehydration.

What are the potential risks of drinking too much water in general?

Drinking too much water can lead to a condition called water intoxication or hyponatremia, where the balance of salts in the body is disrupted. This can cause cells to swell, leading to serious health issues such as seizures, coma, or death.