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Any cell- be it plant or animal-originated - tries to keep it's water content at the right level by the use of diffusion (when it has too little) and osmosis (when it has too much). However, if water is entering the cell at a rate beyond which it's osmotic capabilities can keep up with, the cell membrane will eventually rupture and it will burst. This is damaging to the health and wellbeing of the plant or animal of which it is a part, if the process takes place in many millions of cells and cannot be controlled.

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What happening when the cell starts to swell up with water?

Osmosis is taking place.


What happens to plant cells when placed in a hypotonic solution?

When a plant cell is placed in an hypotonic solution it becomes swollen and hard. The cell takes in water by osmosis and starts to swell, but the cell wall prevents it from bursting.


What happens if a cell is dropped into a container of pure water?

If a cell is dropped into pure water, water will enter the cell by osmosis. This can cause the cell to swell and potentially burst due to the increased pressure within the cell.


What happens to cells in a hypotonic environment?

In a hypotonic environment, cells take in water via osmosis, causing them to swell and potentially burst if the cell wall is not strong enough to withstand the influx of water.


Why does water enter a cell that is placed in a hypotonic solution?

water enters a cell by osmosis, causing the cell to swell.


What happens when a cell gains water?

When a cell gains water, it might swell up due to the increase in volume. This can exert pressure on the cell's membrane, causing it to stretch. In extreme cases, too much water influx can lead to cell lysis or bursting.


What is cause a cell to swell and possibly brust as water enters the cell?

osmosis


What can happen if a cell placed in pure water 100 percent?

If a cell is placed in pure water, the water will move into the cell through osmosis, causing it to swell and potentially burst. This process is known as cytolysis and can result in cell death.


What is happening when the cell start to swell up with water?

Osmosis is taking place


What solution that causes a cell to swell cause of osmosis?

A hypotonic solution, with a lower solute concentration compared to the inside of the cell, causes water to move into the cell via osmosis. This influx of water makes the cell swell and potentially burst if the osmotic pressure becomes too high.


Why do cells shrink and swell?

Cells burst due to the osmotic effect. This is where the concentration of water outside the cell is greater relative to the concentration of water inside the cell. The water will flow through the cell wall and into the cytoplasm. This makes the cell turgid. If the concentration gradient is very steep, enough water will enter the cell so as to make it burst. The opposite happens if there is a greater concentration of water inside the cell - water will exit the cell and cause it to shrivel.


What might happen if too little water moves out of a cell.?

it will swell