Examine the scenario.
A cell is sitting in a beaker filled with an isotonic solution. A researcher adds a large quantity of salt to the solution.
How will the cell be affected by this change?
The cell will increase in size and then burst.
No change will occur since the solution is isotonic.
The cell will increase in size.
The cell will decrease in size.
The cell will decrease in size.
Not sure why everyone disliked what Anonymous posted because it's correct. I figured it was incorrect because of the two dislikes even though it sounded correct so I got that question wrong. So, thanks to those two people. Anyways, the answer is in fact "The cell will decrease in size."
The correct answer is: The cell will decrease in size.
Explanation:
In an isotonic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is the same as inside the cell. This means that there is an equal concentration of water inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water into or out of the cell. Adding a large quantity of salt to the solution increases the concentration of solutes outside the cell. As a result, water molecules will move out of the cell to try to equalize the concentration of solutes on both sides of the cell membrane. This causes the cell to shrink or decrease in size.
To answer this question, we need to understand the concept of osmosis and the effects of adding salt to a solution.
Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In the scenario given, the cell is sitting in an isotonic solution, meaning the solute concentration inside the cell is the same as the solute concentration in the solution. This creates a balanced environment where water molecules move freely across the cell membrane in both directions.
Now, let's consider what happens when a large quantity of salt is added to the solution. Salt is a solute, and an increase in its concentration will create a higher solute concentration outside the cell. According to the principle of osmosis, this will result in the movement of water molecules out of the cell to the higher concentration of salt in the surrounding solution.
As water moves out of the cell, it will lead to a decrease in the cell's size. However, it is important to note that this decrease in size will not cause the cell to burst as the solution is still isotonic. If the solution were hypertonic (higher solute concentration than inside the cell), it could cause the cell to shrink to the point of bursting. But in this case, the cell will simply decrease in size.
Therefore, the correct answer to the scenario is: The cell will decrease in size.