Question 12 A freshwater fish is placed in salt water. Which of the following events would most likely occur? a water would be pulled out of the fish's cells, causing dehydration b swelling of the fish's cells would rapidly occur until they burst c salt would be pulled out of the fish's cells, causing dehydration d no change would occur to the fish and its cells due to rapid adaptation

Answer 1

When a freshwater fish is placed in salt water, the environment outside the fish has a higher concentration of salt compared to the inside of the fish's cells. This situation causes water to move out of the fish's cells in an attempt to balance the concentration of salts on both sides of the cell membranes, a process known as osmosis.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

a. water would be pulled out of the fish's cells, causing dehydration.