If a single-celled freshwater organism such as a protistan is transferred to saltwater,which of the following is likely to happen?
A)The cell will burst.
B)The cell will shrink.
C)Salt will be pumped out of the cell.
D)Salt will be pumped into the cell.
E)Enzymes will flow out of the cell.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a single-celled freshwater organism is transferred to saltwater, the concentration of solutes outside the cell becomes higher than the concentration inside the cell. As a result, water moves out of the cell by osmosis, leading to shrinkage. The cell membrane is permeable to water, but impermeable to most solutes, so neither salt nor enzymes can pass through the membrane. Pumping salt out of or into the cell requires energy and specialized transport proteins that may not be present in the organism. Therefore, option B is the most likely outcome.

If a Single-Celled Freshwater Organism Such as a Protistan Is