Final answer:
Cells placed in a hypotonic solution will swell and can burst due to water entering the cell, a process called hemolysis seen in cells without rigid cell walls like red blood cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
When cells are placed in a hypotonic solution, they will experience an influx of water due to the solution having a lower solute concentration compared to the intracellular environment. For cells without a rigid cell wall, such as red blood cells, this influx causes them to swell and burst, a phenomenon known as hemolysis. On the other hand, plant cells with a cell wall typically become turgid but are generally protected from bursting due to the supportive structure of the cell wall. Animal cells, including red blood cells, tend to thrive in an isotonic environment where the solute concentration is balanced on both sides of the cell membrane.