Question

cucumbers shrink and turn into pickles when placed in very salty water (brine). why does this happen? the salt pushes directly into the cucumber cells, filling them up water moves into the cucumber cells from the brine, so the cells swell water moves out of the cucumber cells into the salty brine, so the cells shrink the cucumber cells stop using their membranes when salt is present

Explanation:

This is due to osmosis. The brine is a hyper - tonic solution compared to the cucumber cells. Water moves from an area of lower solute concentration (inside cucumber cells) to an area of higher solute concentration (the brine) across the semi - permeable cell membranes of the cucumber cells, causing the cells to shrink.

Answer:

Water moves out of the cucumber cells into the salty brine, so the cells shrink