Final answer:
A solution with more molecules like salt outside the cell is termed a hypertonic solution, causing water to leave the cell and potentially leading to cell shrinkage.
Step-by-step explanation:
A solution that has more molecules (like salt) outside the cell compared to the inside is called a hypertonic solution. In a hypertonic environment, the concentration of solutes is greater outside the cell than inside. As a result, water moves out of the cell in an attempt to equalize the solute concentration on both sides of the cell membrane, leading to the cell shriveling as it loses water. Hypertonic solutions are significant in various biological processes. For instance, in a medical context, hypertonic solutions are used in treatments to draw excess fluid from swollen tissues or to cause dehydration in targeted cells. In biological systems, the movement of water across membranes due to hypertonicity plays a crucial role in maintaining cell structure and regulating processes like osmoregulation in living organisms.