Final Answer:
When a plant cell is exposed to a hypertonic environment, the central vacuole loses water, leading to cytoplasmic shrinkage and cell membrane detachment from the cell wall, a condition known as plasmolysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a hypertonic environment, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is higher than inside. The central vacuole, a large organelle filled with cell sap and surrounded by a tonoplast membrane, plays a crucial role in maintaining cell turgor pressure. When the external environment is hypertonic, water exits the central vacuole, causing it to shrink. As a consequence, the cytoplasm contracts, and the cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall, resulting in plasmolysis. This process can lead to wilting and a loss of structural integrity in plant cells exposed to hypertonic conditions.