Question

Some inquisitive students found two slugs and wanted to take them to science class. The only container they could find was a used potato chip bag. The students stored the slugs in the bag to take to school the next day, When the students opened the bag at school, they found that the slugs had melted and turned to slime. Why did this happen?
A) The slugs had an defensive reaction to the salt, and the slime was a response to that reaction.
B) The salt around the slugs created a hypotonic environment, which caused water to diffuse into cells and made them undergo cytolysis.
C) The salt around the slugs created a hypertonic environment, which caused water to diffuse out of cells and made them undergo plasmolysis.
D) The salt around the slugs created an isotonic environment, which caused water to diffuse out of and into the cells which made the slugs melt.

Answer 1

C) The salt around the slugs created a hypertonic environment, which caused water to diffuse out of cells and the cells will shrink.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C: 'The salt around the slugs created a hypertonic environment, which caused water to diffuse out of cells and made them undergo plasmolysis.' A hypertonic environment is one with a higher salt solution that the cells immersed in it. Plasmolysis is the movement of water out of the cell into the surrounding solution along the osmotic pressure gradient.