Question

use the information and diagram to answer the following question. students are investigating how cell organelles help maintain homeostasis in a plant cell. they place a single leaf of elodea, a freshwater plant, on a wet - mount microscope slide and view it under a microscope. the students prepared the slide with a hypertonic solution. which of the following results would they most likely observe? a the plant cell will appear larger because water will move by osmosis into the cell. b the plant cell will swell because water will be pumped into the cell by active transport. c the plant cell will have shrunk because water will exit the cell by active transport. d the plant cell will appear smaller because water will exit the cell by osmosis.

Explanation:

In a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell by osmosis. This causes the cell to lose volume and appear shrunken. Osmosis is the passive movement of water across a semi - permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. Active transport is not involved in this water movement in the context of a hypertonic solution causing cell shrinkage.

Answer:

C. The plant cell will have shrunk because water will exit the cell by osmosis.