Question

The data in the graph are the result of a paramecium being placed in a hypertonic salt solution. mc026-1.jpg Based on the data in the graph, which would most likely happen if the paramecium were placed in distilled water? The contractions would increase. The contractions would decrease. The contractions would cease altogether. The contractions would establish dynamic equilibrium. Mark this and return

Answer 1

The right answer is the concentration would increase.

All living cells in the body act as semi-permeable membrane in relation to the aqueous medium in which they are. As seen above, osmosis is a phenomenon that consists of a liquid exchange of a hypotonic solution to a hypertonic solution through a semipermeable membrane.

A cell placed in distilled water undergoes enormous osmotic pressure. In the absence of backpressure applied in the cytoplasm, distilled (hypotonic) water diffuses into the cell (hypertonic) through the membrane. The massive entry of water into the red blood cell causes the swelling, then the bursting of it. This is called "Endosmosis". On the other hand, if we put cells in a hypertonic solution, they will retract. Such an external environment causes the release of water from red blood cells and therefore the phenomenon of "Exosmosis".

Answer 2

Base on the data in the graph, the event that would most likely happen if the paramecium were placed in distilled water is that "The contractions would increase." This is the result of a hypertonic solution. The net movement of water in an aqueous solution is form the higher water concentration to a lower water concentration. A hypertonic solution has higher solute in the cell than the outside. The movement is from the cell to the outside and so the cell will shrink.