A hypertonic solution is one of three states of tonicity defined as a relative strength of solutes in a solution compared to another. Hypertonicity refers to a solution containing a higher range of solutes compared to another. The standard example is a cell, from which the solution is separated by a semi permeable membrane like the cell wall. Hypertonicity is measured by the relative absorption of water of the solution from a subject placed in the solution, like a cell, which will shrink as the solution absorbs water from the cell. This establishes the greater degree of solutes in the hypertonic solution, relative to the cell.