Question

3. Using 1.0% and 5.0% sucrose solutions as labels (i.e., 1% & 5%), place one solution in the cell and the other in the solution surrounding the cell (shown as a circle surrounding the cell) to make the following environments indicated below. Note: the plasma membrane is impermeable to sucrose (3 points). The cell is the pizza looking object, and the environment is the circle. A. Cell in a hypotonic environment B. Cell in a hypertonic environment

Answer 1

Ans 3) Osmosis is the process by which movement of water or solvent occurs through a semipermeable membrane from the region of lower solute concentration to the region of higher solute concentration.

Hypertonic solution (In this case, 5%) is a concentrated solution (High concentration of solute) as compared to the solute concentration of cell.Thus,by osmosis, water moves from the region of low solute concentration to high solute concentration (In this case, water will flow from cell (Low solute concentration) to the hypertonic solution environment . Due to this, the cell will shrink.

Hypotonic solution (In this case 1%) is less concentrated (Low solute concentration) as compared to the solute concentration of cell (which is High).In the normal case, by osmosis, water should move from the region of low solute concentration to the region of high solute concentration i.e from the Hypotonic solution environment to the inside of cell and the cell should get turgid and eventually burst.

But, it is mentioned in the question that, the plasma membrane is impermeable to sucrose, Thus, the sucrose from the hypotonic solution cannot enter the cell by osmosis and thus the cell will not burst. The cell will be normal and unaffected when placed in Hypotonic solution (1% sucrose solution) environment because the osmosis will not occur.