A cell placed in a hypertonic salt solution will shrink because

Options

A. water will move from the salt solution to the cell sap
B. water will move from the cell sap to the salt solution
C. cytoplasm decomposes
D. mineral salts break the cell wall

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understand the Concept of Tonicity**: Tonicity refers to the relative concentration of solutes in two solutions separated by a semi-permeable membrane. A hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the inside of the cell.

2. **Define Osmosis**: Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration (higher water concentration) to an area of higher solute concentration (lower water concentration).

3. **Identify the Situation**: When a cell is placed in a hypertonic salt solution, the concentration of solutes (salt) outside the cell is greater than the concentration of solutes inside the cell.

4. **Predict Water Movement**: Due to osmosis, water will move out of the cell (where there is a lower concentration of solutes) and into the hypertonic solution (where there is a higher concentration of solutes).

5. **Result of Water Movement**: As water leaves the cell, the volume of the cell decreases, leading to the cell shrinking.

6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, a cell placed in a hypertonic salt solution will shrink because water moves from the cell sap (inside the cell) to the salt solution (outside the cell).

**Final Answer**: Water will move from the cell sap to the salt solution.

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