Recall what you know about hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic solutions. What happens to the cell in a hypotonic solution? (1 point)

Question

The cell has more solute than its environment, so solvent moves from outside the cell to inside the cell, causing the cell to swell.
The cell has less solute that its environment, so solvent moves from inside the cell to outside the cell, causing the cell to shrink.
• The cell has less solute in its environment, so the cell membrane extends around the solute and takes it out of the cell.
The cell and the environment have an equal amount of solute, so there is no net movement of solvent in and out of the cell.

Answer 1

In a hypotonic solution, the first option is correct:

"The cell has more solute than its environment, so solvent moves from outside the cell to inside the cell, causing the cell to swell."

In a hypotonic solution, the concentration of solute outside the cell is lower than the concentration inside the cell. As a result, water moves into the cell to balance the solute concentrations, which can lead to the cell swelling and potentially bursting if too much water enters.