Final answer:
A red blood cell in a hypotonic solution will undergo cell lysis due to water entering the cell, causing it to swell and potentially burst.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a red blood cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, the cell will swell due to the influx of water and may eventually burst, a condition known as cell lysis or hemolysis. This phenomenon occurs because in a hypotonic solution, the concentration of solutes is lower outside the cell compared to the inside, leading to osmosis where water flows into the cell in an attempt to balance solute concentrations on both sides of the cell membrane. Without the rigidity of a cell wall to resist the increasing internal pressure, the red blood cell is unable to contain this influx, leading to the bursting of the cell. This is contrary to a hypertonic solution, where water would flow out, potentially causing the cell to shrivel, or an isotonic solution, which would result in no net movement of water and the cell maintaining its normal shape..