Home › AP Biology › Biology › Structure and Function of Plasma Membranes › When a cell sits in a hypotonic solution, water:
When a cell sits in a hypotonic solution, water:
AEnters the cell
BLeaves the cell
CStops moving
DFreezes solid
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Enters the cell
1. Hypo means the outside fluid holds fewer solutes than the cytoplasm.
2. Water moves toward the side with more solute.
3. In a hypotonic situation the extracellular fluid has a lower concentration of solutes, so water enters the cell.
4. The cell swells and may possibly burst as a result.
_Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 5 'Structure and Function of Plasma Membranes', sections 5.1-5.4_
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