A typical bacterial cell has a salt concentration of about 1%. If the cell is placed in a solution containing 10% salt,the net flow of water will be _____.
A)out of the cell
B)into the cell
C)equally in and out of the cell
D)none of the above since water doesn't cross bacterial cell membranes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of a hypertonic solution, meaning the solution outside the cell has a higher concentration of solutes (salt in this case) compared to the inside of the cell. As a result, water will move out of the cell in an attempt to balance the concentration of solutes on both sides of the membrane.

A Typical Bacterial Cell Has a Salt Concentration of About