Final answer:
It is false that plant cells in a hypertonic environment absorb water and swell. They actually lose water, leading to plasmolysis. However, their rigid cell walls prevent them from bursting.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that plant cells in an environment where the extracellular solute concentration is higher than that of the intracellular environment will respond by absorbing water and swelling is false.
In such a hypertonic environment, plant cells lose water, leading to a condition called plasmolysis where the cell membrane detaches from the cell wall, although the cell wall prevents them from bursting.
In contrast, in a hypotonic environment, where the extracellular solute concentration is lower than the cell's cytoplasm, a plant cell will absorb water and swell, but it does not burst due to the rigid cell wall that provides structural support.
This swelling leads to turgor pressure which is essential for maintaining the plant's structural integrity. If a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic environment, it will lose water, which can cause wilting and loss of turgor pressure, but the rigidity of the cell wall prevents it from collapsing.