Putting a plant in which type of solution will result in water loss and cause the plant to wilt?

• A. Distilled water
• B. Hypertonic solution
• C. Isotonic solution
• D. Hypotonic solution

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of tonicity: Tonicity refers to the relative concentration of solutes in a solution compared to the solutes inside a cell. It determines the direction of water movement across the cell membrane via osmosis.
2. Define the three types of solutions: A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration than the cell, an isotonic solution has an equal solute concentration, and a hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration than the cell.
3. Analyze the effect of a hypertonic solution: In a hypertonic solution, water moves out of the plant cells into the surrounding solution due to osmosis, causing the cells to lose turgor pressure and the plant to wilt.
4. Compare the effects of isotonic and hypotonic solutions: In an isotonic solution, there is no net movement of water, so the plant remains stable. In a hypotonic solution, water moves into the plant cells, increasing turgor pressure and keeping the plant upright.
5. Conclude that placing a plant in a hypertonic solution will result in water loss and wilting, as the water moves out of the cells to balance the solute concentration.