During a laboratory experiment, a student immerses epidermal leaf peel

During a laboratory experiment, a student immerses epidermal leaf peel in a hypertonic solution. After some time, the student examined the cells under a microscope and observed that :

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the cells swelled.

the cells were plasmolysed.

the cells built up turgor pressure.

the cells size was unaffected.

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This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-1 – 2023

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A hypertonic solution is a solution that has a higher solute concentration (and thus a lower water potential) compared to the inside of the plant cell. When a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the cell’s cytoplasm and vacuole into the surrounding solution by osmosis. This loss of water causes the protoplast (the cell membrane and its contents) to shrink and pull away from the rigid cell wall. This phenomenon is known as plasmolysis.

– A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration outside the cell.
– Water moves out of the cell by osmosis into the hypertonic solution.
– The protoplast shrinks and pulls away from the cell wall.
– This process is called plasmolysis.

In a hypotonic solution (lower solute concentration outside), water moves into the cell, causing it to swell and build up turgor pressure against the cell wall. In an isotonic solution (equal solute concentration), there is no net movement of water, and the cell size remains relatively unaffected, although turgor pressure is zero.

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