Question

What are the consequences of the following conditions?
(i) A cell having higher water concentration than the surrounding medium.
(ii) A cell containing lower water concentration than the surrounding medium.
(iii) A cell having equal water ​concentration to its surrounding medium.

Answer 1

(i) A cell having a higher concentration of water than the surrounding medium will gradually lose water through exosmosis and can become flaccid or plasmolysed.

(ii) A cell having lower water concentration than the surrounding medium will gain water through endosmosis and can become turgid or can burst.

(iii) A cell having equal water concentration to its surroundings will neither lose nor gain water.