Osmosis

Question	Answer
What happens to an animal cell when the water potential is higher outside the cell?	Water enters the cell. The cell swells and bursts. (Osmotic Lysis)
What happens to an animal cell when the water potential is equal both outside and inside the cell?	There's no net movement of water. There's no change in the cell.
What happens to an animal cell when the water potential is lower outside the cell?	Water leaves the cell. The cell shrinks and bursts.
Definition of: Osmosis	The passage of water from a region where it has a higher water potential to a region where it has a lower water potential through a selectively permeable membrane.
What happens to a plant cell when the water potential is higher outside the cell?	Water enters the cell. The protoplast swells. The plant cell is turgid.
What happens to a plant cell when the water potential is equal both outside and inside the cell?	There's no net movement of water. There's no change in the protoplast. Protoplast doesn't press on the cell wall. (Incipient plasmolysis)
What happens to a plant cell when the water potential is lower outside the cell?	Water leaves the cell. The protoplast shrinks. Plasmolysis occurs.

Resource summary

	Created by Melissa O'Mahony about 7 years ago