Question

When distilled water is added to plant cells it grows but when added to animal cells it burst, what is the cause?

Answer 1

First, we have to understand why the cell grows or burst.

This is because theres something called osmosis, it is where water molecules will flow from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential through a semi permeable membrane.

As said, which means when a cell is placed in distilled water, the cell membrane is a semi permeable membrane, which only some substance can pass through. And distilled water has a higher water potential than the cell cytoplasm, therefore the water molecules will flow from the distilled water to the cell inside.

So why does the consequences of animal cell and plant cell is different?

When water enters animal cell, the cytoplasm gains water, it gains so much water that the cell membrane cannot hold all water, the cell burst.

However, in plant cell, outside of the cell membrane, theres still something called a cell wall. It doesn't break. So when water enters the plant cytoplasm, the cell membrane expands and pushes against the cell wall, but not breaking. Therefore the cell looks like it grows and becomes turgid.