What happens to a cell placed in a hypertonic solution?

What happens to a cell placed in a hypertonic solution?

• A. The cell remains unchanged
• B. The cell divides
• C. The cell swells
• D. The cell shrinks

Answer: (D)

When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, the surrounding solution has a higher concentration of solutes than the inside of the cell. Water moves across the membrane from where there is more water (inside the cell) to where there is less water (outside the cell) in an attempt to balance solute concentrations. As water exits the cell, it loses volume and becomes smaller. In animal cells this is called crenation; in plant cells, the cytoplasm may pull away from the cell wall (plasmolysis) as the cell shrinks. The other options don’t fit this situation: staying the same would occur if the solutions were isotonic, and swelling or bursting would happen in hypotonic conditions where water moves into the cell. Therefore, the cell shrinks.

When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, the surrounding solution has a higher concentration of solutes than the inside of the cell. Water moves across the membrane from where there is more water (inside the cell) to where there is less water (outside the cell) in an attempt to balance solute concentrations. As water exits the cell, it loses volume and becomes smaller. In animal cells this is called crenation; in plant cells, the cytoplasm may pull away from the cell wall (plasmolysis) as the cell shrinks. The other options don’t fit this situation: staying the same would occur if the solutions were isotonic, and swelling or bursting would happen in hypotonic conditions where water moves into the cell. Therefore, the cell shrinks.