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A cell is placed into a salt solution. The salt concentration is greater in the solution than inside the cell. Which best describes what will most likely happen?

A. Water will flow into the cell by active transport.
B. Water will flow into the cell by passive transport.
C. Water will flow out of the cell by active transport.
D. Water will flow out of the cell by passive transport.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

When a cell is placed in a hypertonic salt solution, water will most likely flow out of the cell by passive transport to try to equalize solute concentrations.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a cell is placed into a salt solution where the salt concentration is greater outside than inside the cell, the solution is considered hypertonic to the cell. According to osmosis, water tends to move from areas of lower solute concentration to areas of higher solute concentration in an attempt to equalize the solute levels across the membrane. Therefore, the best description for what would most likely happen is that water will flow out of the cell by passive transport. No energy is required for this process because water is moving down its concentration gradient, through a process facilitated by proteins known as aquaporins.

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