Question

What do you mean by tonicity of cell?When do cells become turgid and plasmolyses?Explain why?

Answer 1

Cell:

1. Cell can be defined as the structural and fundamental unit of life.
2. Cell has the capacity to loss or gain water,when coming in contact with the solution.
3. This property of cell is called as “tonicity of life”.
4. The process is carried out by means of the passive transport called osmosis.

Depending upon the concentration, we have three types of solutions. They are :

1. Hypotonic solution: Solution in which the concentration of solute is less then that of cell.
2. Hypertonic solution: Solution in which the concentration of solute is more then that of cell.
3. Isotonic Solution: Solution in which the concentration of solute is same as that of cell.

When the cell is placed in hypotonic solution, the water enters from solution to the cell, and the cell becomes turgid. When the cell is placed in hypertonic solution, it looses water and this loosing of water is called plasmolyses.