College

The internal solute concentration of a plant cell is about 0.8M. To demonstrate plasmolysis, it would be necessary to suspend the cell in what solution?

A. 1.5M
B. 0.4M
C. 1.0M
D. 0.8M
E. Distilled water

Answer :

To demonstrate plasmolysis in a plant cell, we need to understand what plasmolysis is. Plasmolysis occurs when a plant cell loses water after being placed in a hypertonic solution. A hypertonic solution is one that has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the inside of the cell.

The internal solute concentration of the plant cell is given as 0.8M. To cause plasmolysis, the external solution must have a higher solute concentration than this.

Let's evaluate the given solution options:

1. 150m: This is likely a typographical or formatting issue since it does not specify molarity. We can't consider this option without a clear concentration value in molarity.

2. 0.4M: This concentration is lower than 0.8M, making it a hypotonic solution. A hypotonic solution would cause water to enter the cell, not leave it, so it would not cause plasmolysis.

3. 1.0M: This concentration is higher than 0.8M, making it a hypertonic solution. A hypertonic solution would cause water to leave the cell, leading to plasmolysis.

4. 0.8M: This is an isotonic solution since it's equal to the internal concentration of the cell. It would not cause plasmolysis because there would be no net movement of water.

5. Distilled water: This is a hypotonic solution as it has no solutes. It would cause water to enter the cell, not leave it, so it would not cause plasmolysis.

Based on this analysis, the correct solution to demonstrate plasmolysis is the 1.0M solution. This is a hypertonic solution and will cause the cell to lose water and undergo plasmolysis.