If a plant cell is kept in a hypotonic solution, it willa)Increase in ...
When the plant cell is placed in a hypotonic solution , it takes up water by osmosis and starts to swell, but the cell wall prevents it from bursting.
If a plant cell is kept in a hypotonic solution, it willa)Increase in ...
Explanation:
When a plant cell is kept in a hypotonic solution, it means that the concentration of solutes outside the cell is lower than the concentration of solutes inside the cell. As a result, water will tend to move into the cell through the process of osmosis. This process will ultimately lead to an increase in the volume of the cell. Here is a detailed explanation of the process:
Hypotonic Solution:
A solution with a lower concentration of solutes than the cell is said to be hypotonic. When a plant cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, the following happens:
Cell Wall:
The cell wall of a plant cell protects it from bursting due to the entry of water. The cell wall exerts an outward pressure on the cell membrane that prevents it from expanding beyond a certain limit.
Osmosis:
Osmosis is the process by which water moves from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration through a selectively permeable membrane. In this case, water moves from the hypotonic solution to the cell.
Water Influx:
As water moves into the cell, the volume of the cell increases. The cell wall exerts an outward pressure on the cell membrane, which prevents it from expanding beyond a certain limit. This pressure is called turgor pressure.
Equilibrium:
At some point, the turgor pressure of the cell wall will balance the influx of water, and the cell will stop swelling. The cell will reach a state of equilibrium where the pressure inside the cell is equal to the pressure outside the cell.
Conclusion:
Thus, we can conclude that when a plant cell is kept in a hypotonic solution, it will increase in volume due to the entry of water. However, the cell wall will prevent it from bursting by exerting an outward pressure on the cell membrane.