osmosis effects on animal cells Flashcards
(3 cards)
1
Q
Do animal cells have a cell wall?
A
No, animal cells have a plasma membrane but no cell wall.
2
Q
What happens if an animal cell is placed in a hypotonic solution?
A
If an animal cell is in a hypotonic solution, water enters by osmosis, causing the cell to swell and lyse (burst).
Example: Red blood cells swell and burst in pure water (called haemolysis).
3
Q
What happens if an animal cell is placed in a hypertonic solution?
A
If an animal cell is in a hypertonic solution, water leaves the cell by osmosis, causing the cytoplasm to shrink.
The plasma membrane remains the same size, leading to crenation (the cell becomes crenated or shriveled).
