Question

Compare hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic solutions. When an environment is hypotonic what happens to the cell?
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1 point
The cells have more solute, so solvent moves from inside the cell to outside the cell, causing it to shrink
the cell has more solute, so solvent moves form outside the cell to inside, causing the cell to swell
the environment has more solute, so solvents moves form outside the cell to inside, causing the cell to swell
the environment has more solute, so solvent moves from inside the cell to outside, causing the cell to shrink

Answer 1

Quick comparison:
- Hypertonic: outside solution has higher solute concentration than the cell → water moves out of the cell by osmosis → cell shrinks (crenation/plasmolysis).
- Hypotonic: outside solution has lower solute concentration than the cell → water moves into the cell by osmosis → cell swells (may burst in animal cells; plant cells become turgid).
- Isotonic: outside and inside have equal solute concentrations → no net water movement → cell volume stays the same.

Answer to the multiple choice: option 2 — "the cell has more solute, so solvent moves from outside the cell to inside, causing the cell to swell."