A cell is dropped into a saltwater solution and shrivels up. You infer that, compared to the cell, the type of saltwater solution is(1 point) Responses isotonic. isotonic. tonic. tonic. hypertonic. hypertonic. hypotonic.
The correct answer is hypertonic.
Based on the observation that the cell shriveled up when dropped into the saltwater solution, it can be inferred that the saltwater solution is hypertonic compared to the cell.
To determine the type of saltwater solution, you need to understand the concept of osmosis and how it affects cells.
Osmosis is the movement of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. When a cell is placed in a solution, water molecules will move across the cell membrane until the concentration of solutes (such as salts) is equal on both sides of the membrane. This process can cause cells to swell or shrink, depending on the relative concentrations of solutes inside and outside the cell.
In this scenario, the cell shrivels up after being dropped into the saltwater solution. This means that water has moved out of the cell, suggesting that the concentration of solutes in the saltwater solution is higher compared to the concentration inside the cell. Therefore, the saltwater solution is hypertonic.
Hence, the correct answer is hypertonic.