When fruits and vegetables are dried and placed in water, they slowly swell and return to original form, Why? Does an increase in temperature accelerate the process? Explain.

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Process**: When fruits and vegetables are dried, they lose a significant amount of water. This drying process causes the cells within the fruits and vegetables to shrink. When these dried fruits and vegetables are placed in water, they begin to swell and return to their original form.

2. **Role of the Cell Wall**: The cell wall of fruits and vegetables acts as a semi-permeable membrane. This means that it allows certain molecules (like water) to pass through while restricting others.

3. **Osmosis**: The swelling of dried fruits and vegetables in water is primarily due to the process of osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of higher concentration (in this case, the water outside the fruit or vegetable) to an area of lower concentration (the inside of the dried fruit or vegetable) through a semi-permeable membrane.

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