What is the term for the shrinking of blood cells in a hypertonic salt solution?

The term that describes the shrinking of blood cells when they are placed in a hypertonic salt solution is crenation. This process occurs when cells lose water through osmosis, as water moves from an area of lower solute concentration (inside the cell) to an area of higher solute concentration (the surrounding hypertonic solution). As the water leaves the cell, the cell shrinks and becomes irregularly shaped, which is characteristic of crenation.

The other terms relate to different processes: osmosis refers to the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane, hemolysis is the rupture of red blood cells in a hypotonic solution when they take in too much water, and diffusion is the movement of solutes from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. Understanding these terms provides clarity on cellular responses to various solutions and their effects on blood cells.