Final answer:
A cell that is 98% water in a solution with 3% salt is in a hypertonic environment, leading to water leaving the cell due to osmosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
A cell that is 98% water is placed in a solution containing 3% salt is said to be in a hypertonic environment relative to its surroundings. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across membranes, and it dictates that water will move from areas of lower solute concentration to areas of higher solute concentration. Thus, in a hypertonic solution, where the extracellular fluid has a higher osmolarity than the cell's cytoplasm, water will leave the cell. This is because the fluid contains less water than the cell, and the water will follow its concentration gradient and move out of the cell, potentially causing the cell to shrivel or crenate.