Question

When an animal cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, _____.

Answer 1

Answer;

it will gain water and may burst

Explanation;

• Osmosis is the process by which water molecules move from the region where they are highly concentrated to a region where they are lowly concentrated through a semipermeable membrane.
• Hypotonic solution is a type of solution that has more solvent molecules in this case water and less solute molecules.
• When animal cells are placed in a hypotonic solution they gain water through osmosis and thus increases in size and since they lack cellulose cell wall they will burst, a process called haemolysis.

Answer 2

Answer: The correct answer is -

it will gain water and may burst.

Explanation:

Hypotonic solution is the one that contains higher concentration of solvent (such as water) as compared to solute concentration.

Water always moves from area of high to low concentration through osmosis.

Thus, if an animal cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, it will gain water through osmosis, swell and may burst as they lack cell wall (unlike plant cell that have cell wall to prevent cell lysis due to osmosis).

Thus, first option is the right answer.