Question

If the concentration of a sugar solution is lower outside the cell than inside the cell which will happen by osmosis?. A.Sugar will move into the cell.. B.Sugar will move out of the cell.. C.Water will move into the cell.. D.Water will move out of the cell.

Answer 1

Answer: option C.Water will move into the cell

Explanation:

1) Start by analyzing what the statement means in terms of relative concentrations:

------------------------ | inside the cell ------------ | outside the cell |

sugar --------------- | higher ----------------------- | lower ------------- |

water -------------- | lower ------------------------- | higher ------------ |

2) Osmosis is the process where a barrier (the celll membrane) permits the pass of some component and not others.

The component that can pass is that whose particles are smaller. Sugar molecules (the solute) are bigger than water molecules (the solvent), so sugar molecules cannot pass the cell membrane. Only water can.

3) The driviing force for the motion of water molecules is called diffusion. The diffusion occurs from higher concentrations to lower concentrations.

Hence, the water molecules will from outside the outiside the cell, where they have the greater concentration, toward the inside of the cell, where water hasa the lower concentration.

As result, the water will move into the cell, which is the option C.