Question

"Cell wall permits the cells of plants fungi and bacteria to withstand very dilute external medium without bursting." Explain how.

Answer 1

Cell walls in organisms:

1. ​Cell walls are made up of carbohydrates which offers rigidity to the cell.
   
2. The very dilute solution surrounding the cell is a hypotonic solution.
   
3. In such solution, the animal cells tend to have the entry of water from the surroundings which eventually bursts the cells.
   
4. In this case, the cell swells up but to a certain extent, as the cell wall maintain the rigidity of the cell.
   
5. The wall exerts pressure against the swollen cell, which can help withstand the changing pressure in the cell and hence the cell does not burst even after swelling up due to entry of water.