When an environment is hypotonic, what happens to the cell?(1 point)
Responses
The cell has more solute, so solvent moves from outside the cell to inside, causing the cell to swell.
The amount of solute is approximately equal in the environment and in the cell, causing no change by the cell.
The environment has more solute, so solvent moves from inside the cell to outside, causing the cell to shrink.
The cell has more solute, so solvent moves from outside the cell to inside, causing the cell to swell.
The correct answer is: The environment has more solute, so solvent moves from inside the cell to outside, causing the cell to shrink.
When an environment is hypotonic, it means that the concentration of solute in the environment is lower compared to the concentration of solute inside the cell. To understand what happens to the cell in a hypotonic environment, it's important to know that solvent (usually water) will always move from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration, in an attempt to achieve equilibrium.
In the given options, the correct answer is "The cell has more solute, so solvent moves from outside the cell to inside, causing the cell to swell." This is because in a hypotonic environment, there is a lower concentration of solute outside the cell compared to inside the cell. As a result, water molecules from the environment will move into the cell in an attempt to equalize the solute concentration. This influx of water will cause the cell to swell or expand.
To arrive at this conclusion, you can think of the principles of osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of solvent (water) molecules across a selectively permeable membrane (cell membrane) from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In a hypotonic environment, where there is a lower concentration of solute outside the cell, water will move into the cell, leading to an increase in cell volume.
It's important to note that different environments can have different effects on cells depending on their solute concentrations. Understanding the principles of osmosis and concentration gradients can help you predict the outcomes in various scenarios.