Question

During an experiment, you place cells from the xylem tissue of a flower, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, into a beaker containing distilled water (solute concentration = 0%). You observe obvious swelling in the plant cells, knowing this is due to ________ in this hypotonic solution. If these cells are left in the distilled water for an extended period of time, the cells would ________.

Answer 1

Answer:

the lower solute concentration, lyse.

Explanation:

If we place a cell in an hypotonic solution that means that the concentration of solute is lower than in the inside of the cell (in this case there is not solute at all). To have an equal concentration inside and outside the cell the only thing that can happen is the passage of water (solvent) from the outside to the inside of the cell through a semipermeable membrane. This process where a solvent goes through a semipermeable membrane towards a place were the solutes are in a higher concentration in order to equalize the concentrations on both sides is called osmosis. If there is too much solvent going into the cell, this one will start to swell and finally it will lyse (burst).