Question

A plant cell placed in pure water will

• A. Swell up and become turgid
• B. Swell up and burst
• C. Lose water and become flaccid
• D. Shrink and die

Answer 1

The correct option is A Swell up and become turgid

Plant cells have a strong cell wall surrounding them. When they take up water by osmosis they start to swell, but the cell wall prevents them from bursting. As a result, the plant cells become “turgid” when they swell up and become turgid.

Thus, the correct answer is option (A).