Question

Imagine you have a cell that is 20% sugar and 80% water. That cell is placed into a beaker that is 100% water. Was this cell placed in a hypertonic, hypotonic, or isotonic solution? What happens to this cell?

Answer 1

The cell in question is placed in a hypotonic solution, which leads to water entering the cell and potentially causing it to swell and burst.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a cell that is 20% sugar and 80% water is placed into a beaker of 100% water, the cell is placed in a hypotonic solution. In a hypotonic solution, the extracellular fluid (such as the 100% water in the beaker) has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the inside of the cell. Therefore, the net flow of water will be into the cell, causing it to swell. This can potentially lead to the cell bursting, a process known as lysis.