Osmosis
A) involves the diffusion of solute particles.
B) can cause a cell to shrink when placed in a hypotonic solution.
C) occurs through a selectively permeable membrane.
D) can cause a cell to rupture when placed in a hypertonic solution.
E) can cause a cell to shrink when placed in a hypotonic solution and can cause a cell to rupture when placed in a hypertonic solution.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Osmosis specifically involves the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration, not the diffusion of solute particles themselves. Cells shrink in hypertonic solutions (where the external solution has a higher solute concentration than the cell's interior, causing water to move out of the cell) and swell or potentially rupture in hypotonic solutions (where the external solution has a lower solute concentration than the cell's interior, causing water to move into the cell).