Final answer:
Placing a cell in a hypotonic environment, with a lower solute concentration than inside the cell, causes water to enter the cell by osmosis. This can result in red blood cells swelling and bursting, a process called hemolysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you placed a cell in a container of water with a low solute concentration, such as pure water, the environment outside the cell would be considered hypotonic compared to the solute concentration inside the cell. Due to the difference in solute concentration, water would rush into the cell, a process known as osmosis. In the case of red blood cells, which lack mechanisms to prevent excessive water intake, this would lead to swelling and eventually hemolysis, where the cells swell up with water and burst. However, most cells have mechanisms in place to prevent such excessive water intake, which aren't present in red blood cells, making them ideal subjects for osmolarity studies.
In contrast, if the cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, where the solute concentration is higher than inside the cell, water will leave the cell causing it to shrink or crenate. This can compromise the cell's functionality and potentially lead to cell death. Likewise, in an isotonic solution, where the solute concentration is the same inside and outside of the cell, there will be no net movement of water, and the cell will remain stable in size and shape.